Nymphoides Ség.

Menyanthaceae, Barbara Mackinder. Flora Zambesiaca 7:4. 1990

Morphology General Habit

Aquatic herbs, annual or perennial.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves simple, circular to ovate, with a sinus at the base, in a rosette on the stock, or alternate along floating stolons.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers clustered at the nodes, pedicellate, subtended by a small bract, 5(8)-merous, sometimes heterostylous, elsewhere sometimes unisexual.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Capsule developing under water, splitting into valves from base or apex.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds round to oval, flattened or convex, smooth to tuberculate.

Ghazanfar, S. A. & Edmondson, J. R (Eds). (2014) Flora of Iraq, Volume 5 Part 2: Lythraceae to Campanulaceae.

Morphology General Habit

Glabrous aquatic herbs

Morphology Leaves

Leaves simple, orbicular, deeply cordate, petiolate

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers fasciculate in leaf axils, long pedicellate

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx lobes more or less lanceolate, slightly accrescent

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla yellow or white, lobes ± fimbriate-ciliate

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit opening irregularly.

Note

Floating Heart (Am.); KU’AIBA (Ir.). Nymphoides (from Nymphaea and -oides, resembling) As the Latin name of the genus implies it bears a superficial resemblance to Nymphaea and, though not one of the true water lilies (Nymphaeaceae, q.v.) may sometimes be miscalled a “water lily”. (Such a misconception may be the origin of the report mentioned by Guest (1933) of the supposed occurrence of the Yellow Water-Lily (Nuphar luteum) in the Muntafiq marshes, an edible plant said to be known locally as GUNGUL, though the occurrence of this species in Iraq has never been established. Handel-Mazzetti’s specimen, which Guest mentions, was from the Khabur river beyond and northwards of the frontier of Iraq.

George R. Proctor (2012). Flora of the Cayman Isands (Second Edition). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Morphology General Habit

Aquatic perennial herbs with fleshy rootstocks and elongate leafy flowering stems; leaves floating, simple and deeply cordate with entire margins

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers in clusters closely subtended by a leaf-blade, thus appearing to arise from the top of an elongate petiole, yellow or white, the parts in 5s; corolla deeply lobed, the lobes with fringed margins and often hairy within

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens inserted near the base of the corolla, with appendages on the corolla between them; anthers sagittate

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Capsule rupturing irregularly.

Distribution

A cosmopolitan genus of about 20 species.

Menyanthaceae, Christopher Whitehouse. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1996

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens 5(-8), inserted at or below the corolla-throat

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary

Ovary with 5 basal glands

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Capsule indehiscent or irregularly rupturing

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds round to oval, flattened or convex, smooth to tuberculate.

Morphology General Habit

Aquatic herbs

Morphology Stem

Stems long, petiole-like

Morphology Leaves

Leaves floating, shortly petioled, circular to ovate in outline, base with a narrow to wide sinus, margin entire, crenate or dentate

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers bisexual (in East Africa), solitary or fascicled at the nodes, subtended by a small bract, 5(-8)-merous

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla white or yellow; lobes variously fimbriate; tube with short tufts of hairs ± halfway up