| Elatinaceae | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Elatine hexandra | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Malpighiales |
| Family: | Elatinaceae Dumort.[1] |
| Genera | |
Elatinaceae is a family offlowering plants with ca 35 (to perhaps 50) species in two genera:[2]Elatine andBergia.[3] TheElatine are mostly aquaticherbs, and theBergia are subshrubs toshrubs.[3]Elatine species are widely distributed throughout the world fromtemperate totropical zones, with itsgreatest diversity found in temperate zones.[3]Bergia is found in temperate to tropicalEurasia andAfrica, with two tropical and one tropical to temperate species in theAmericas.[3] The center for biodiversity ofBergia is theOld World tropics, and this is also the center for biodiversity for the family.[3] Neither genus is found in arctic ecosystems.[3]
Members of the family have bisexual flowers, usually small flowers, single, or incymes, with two to five overlappingpetals. The plants have opposite or whorled leaves, which may have glands along their margins, and havestipules.[3] The aquatic herbs in the genusElatine often have reduced characteristics as part of their adaptation to an aquatic habitat.[3]
Waterwort (Elatine hexandra), a member of this family, and 2 similar species (Elatine hydropiper andElatine macropoda) are often grown inaquariums.
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| Other | |
