Brasenia

Scientific name

Brasenia Schreb.

Common names

water shield

Family

Cabombaceae

Similar genera

Hydrocleys, Hydrocotyle, Nymphoides

Native distribution

Australia, Africa, Asia, America

Species cultivated

Brasenia schreberi J.F. Gmel.

Adventive distribution

Europe

Weed status

not weedy

Habit

attached, stoloniferous plant with floating leaves

Brief description

Perennial. Creeping, stoloniferous stem rooted at nodes. Leaves floating (seedling leaves submersedsubmersed:
see submerged
), alternatealternate:
(adj) (of leaves) bearing one leaf per node; placed singly on the stem at different heights
, peltatepeltate:
(adj) of usually flat organs such as leaves: having its stalk attached to its underside away from the margin, near the center
, with elongate petiolepetiole:
(n) the stalk of a leaf
; leaf bladeblade:
(n) (syn. lamina) the flat, expanded part of a leaf, frond, or petal (excluding, e.g., the petiole)
oval (5 cm wide x 8 cm long); marginmargin:
(n) edge; rim
entireentire:
(adj) having a continuous margin that is not toothed or lobed
. All submergedsubmerged:
(adj) (syn. submersed) under water; submerged below the water surface
plant parts covered with thick, clear, mucilaginous coating. Inflorescenceinflorescence:
(n) the arrangement of flowers on the floral axis
a solitary flower opening above water surface. Flower borne on elongate, axillaryaxillary:
(adj) in, of, or produced from an axil
pedicel; perianthperianth:
(n) collective term for the calyx and corolla of a flower; also used for floral whorl(s) in which the calyx and corolla cannot be resolved; any of the leaves or bracts surrounding the sex organs of bryophytes
of 6 to 8 segments, purple. Dispersal by stem fragments, hibernating turions and seed.

Natural habitat

still waters such as lakes, canals, and swamps

Additional comments

Brasenia schreberi, the single species in this genus, is widely distributed and is closely related to Cabomba Aubl. The leaf shape and mucilagemucilage:
(n) a gelatinous substance produced by many different types of plants and algae, on various structures, such as stems or leaves
coating on red submergedsubmerged:
(adj) (syn. submersed) under water; submerged below the water surface
parts makes this plant easily identifiable.