Alternative names: Not Applicable

Description:
Submerged aquatic perennial herbs; roots 0; leaves whorled, dichotomously divided into narrow segments; stipules 0.

Flowers monoecious, sessile and solitary in leaf axils, male and female at different nodes; perianth of 10-12 linear herbaceous segments; stamens 10-20, on a flat receptacular disk; anthers subsessile, 2-celled; female flowers lacking staminodes; ovary superior, sessile, 1-celled; ovule 1, pendulous; style simple, subulate.

Fruit a nut, crowned by the persistent style which may be hooked; embryo straight, endosperm 0.

Distribution:  1 genus and 10 species, cosmopolitan.

Biology: No text

Taxonomic notes: This is sometimes included in the Cabombaceae, which has alternate leaves, distinct sepals and petals, several carpels and other differences.

Author: Prepared by J.P. Jessop