Alismataceae

Taxonomy

Family name: Alistmataceae Vent.

Synonym(s): Damasoniaceae Nakai; Limnocharitaceae Takht. ex Cronquist

Common name(s): water-plantain family

*Number of genera/species: 17/115

List of genera (GRIN-Global)

Disseminule

fruit (one-seeded) or seed

Description

Fruit a folliclefollicle:
a dry to (rarely) fleshy fruit derived from a single carpel that opens along a single longitudinal suture, derived from a single, superior, simple ovary; the seeds may be arillate or with a fleshy testa
(Butomopsis, Hydrocleys and Limnocharis), aggregate of folliclesfollicle:
a dry to (rarely) fleshy fruit derived from a single carpel that opens along a single longitudinal suture, derived from a single, superior, simple ovary; the seeds may be arillate or with a fleshy testa
(Damasonium), or an acheneachene:
a dry, indehiscent, one-seeded fruit, with seed attached to pericarp at a single point, derived from a single, superior, simple or compound, one-loculed ovary
, 0.8–45 mm long, linearlinear:
(shape) long, narrow, and uniform in width; (of embryo) embryo is straight and much longer than wide
to trigonoustrigonous:
3D shape—having three faces that meet at distinct angles; triangular in outline
, compressedcompressed:
flattened; in grasses, used to denote compression (not necessarily flattened) either laterally or dorsiventrally
, tereteterete:
approximately circular in cross section; width and thickness approximately equal
, or angularangular:
2D shape—having sides that meet at acute or obtuse angles  
in transection, often beakedbeak:
a usually firm, terminal appendage, sometimes tapered
, sometimes with one laterallateral:
(of embryo) embryo lies along the side of the seed, generally towards one end; of, at, or from the side; in grasses, can refer to the sides adjacent to the dorsal and ventral sides
wing, with one  (acheneachene:
a dry, indehiscent, one-seeded fruit, with seed attached to pericarp at a single point, derived from a single, superior, simple or compound, one-loculed ovary
) to many seeds  (folliclefollicle:
a dry to (rarely) fleshy fruit derived from a single carpel that opens along a single longitudinal suture, derived from a single, superior, simple ovary; the seeds may be arillate or with a fleshy testa
). Pericarp yellow to black, dulldull:
reflecting only a low proportion of incident light, with no apparent sheen
, glabrousglabrous:
without hairs
or pubescentpubescent:
surface relief—bearing hairs
, smooth, ridged, wartywarty:
surface relief—distinct, rounded projections that are large relative to the fruit size; tuberculate, verrucose
, spinyspiny:
having slender, stiff, sharp projections oriented in the general plane of the structure
, ribbedribbed:
surface relief—wide, prominent, linear ridges that are generally rounded and longitudinally situated on the surface
, or groovedgrooved:
surface relief—linear depressions that may be single or form a series of grooves over the surface
, sometimes glandularglandular:
surface relief—covered with small, raised secretory glands, regular or irregularly shaped, translucent or opaque, and maybe distinctly colored
. In Damasonium, 6-10 folliclesfollicle:
a dry to (rarely) fleshy fruit derived from a single carpel that opens along a single longitudinal suture, derived from a single, superior, simple ovary; the seeds may be arillate or with a fleshy testa
are clustered and appear star-shapedstar-shaped:
(of fruit), having a distal aspect like the stylized shape of a star, usually found in aggregate versus simple fruit
at maturity but usually fall singly.

Seeds variously shaped, compressedcompressed:
flattened; in grasses, used to denote compression (not necessarily flattened) either laterally or dorsiventrally
to tereteterete:
approximately circular in cross section; width and thickness approximately equal
in transection, 1–7 mm long. Seed coat brown, thin, membranousmembranous:
texture—extremely thin, pliable, and fairly tough
, smooth, striate to ribbedribbed:
surface relief—wide, prominent, linear ridges that are generally rounded and longitudinally situated on the surface
, wartywarty:
surface relief—distinct, rounded projections that are large relative to the fruit size; tuberculate, verrucose
, or spinyspiny:
having slender, stiff, sharp projections oriented in the general plane of the structure
, sometimes glandularglandular:
surface relief—covered with small, raised secretory glands, regular or irregularly shaped, translucent or opaque, and maybe distinctly colored
. Hydrocleys seeds are sparsely to densely glandular-pubescent.

Embryo strongly curvedcurved:
(of embryo) linear embryo is curved into an arch or horseshoe with the ends far apart
to horseshoe-shapedhorseshoe-shaped:
3D shape—relatively slender and strongly compressed, the whole strongly curved over its length in a plane perpendicular to the direction of compression and forming an incomplete circle, the ends somewhat straighter than the rest and parallel or nearly so
, often visible through seed coat.

Endosperm lacking.

Habitat and crop association

Noxious Weed: USA Federal Noxious Weed List, Sagittaria sagittifolia L..

More available on the Table Grape Weed Disseminuledisseminule:
detachable plant part capable of being disseminated and of propagating, commonly a seed or fruit
I.D. and Aquarium & Pond Plants of the World (APPW). Weedy or malignant in paddy fields, marshes, channels, and ponds spreading by seed reproduction and stolon and bulb propagation.

Identification features

Fruit
Type	acheneachene: a dry, indehiscent, one-seeded fruit, with seed attached to pericarp at a single point, derived from a single, superior, simple or compound, one-loculed ovary , folliclefollicle: a dry to (rarely) fleshy fruit derived from a single carpel that opens along a single longitudinal suture, derived from a single, superior, simple ovary; the seeds may be arillate or with a fleshy testa
Size range	0.8–45 mm long
Shape(s)	globoseglobose: 3D shape—more or less spherical , ellipsoidellipsoid: 3D shape—elliptic , ovoidovoid: 3D shape—ovate , linearlinear: (shape) long, narrow, and uniform in width; (of embryo) embryo is straight and much longer than wide , lanceoloidlanceoloid: 3D shape—lanceolate , cylindricalcylindrical: 3D shape—a cylinder, with parallel sides and a circular cross-section; tubular or rod-shaped , trigonoustrigonous: 3D shape—having three faces that meet at distinct angles; triangular in outline , reniformreniform: 2D or 3D shape—kidney-shaped
Texture	membranousmembranous: texture—extremely thin, pliable, and fairly tough , spongyspongy: soft, light, discontinuous but cohesive, and somewhat resilient
Surface relief	smooth or glandularglandular: surface relief—covered with small, raised secretory glands, regular or irregularly shaped, translucent or opaque, and maybe distinctly colored , ridgedridged: surface relief—raised, thick ridges, sharp edged or rounded, usually in a series that may cover the entire surface , wartywarty: surface relief—distinct, rounded projections that are large relative to the fruit size; tuberculate, verrucose , spinyspiny: having slender, stiff, sharp projections oriented in the general plane of the structure , ribbedribbed: surface relief—wide, prominent, linear ridges that are generally rounded and longitudinally situated on the surface , groovedgrooved: surface relief—linear depressions that may be single or form a series of grooves over the surface
Color(s)	black, brown, yellow
Unique features	Genera can be identified based on ornamentation of pericarppericarp: fruit wall or fruit coat .
Seed
Size range	1–7 mm long
Shape(s)	curvedcurved: (of embryo) linear embryo is curved into an arch or horseshoe with the ends far apart , hippocrepiformhippocrepiform: 3D shape—horseshoe-shaped , oblongoblong: 2D shape—much longer than broad with nearly parallel sides, corners are rounded , ellipsoidellipsoid: 3D shape—elliptic , ovoidovoid: 3D shape—ovate , conicalconical: 3D shape—cone-shaped, with the point of attachment at the broad end , polygonalpolygonal: angular
Surface relief	smooth, striatestriate: surface relief—having fine, parallel lines, grooves or ridges , ridgedridged: surface relief—raised, thick ridges, sharp edged or rounded, usually in a series that may cover the entire surface , ribbedribbed: surface relief—wide, prominent, linear ridges that are generally rounded and longitudinally situated on the surface , spinyspiny: having slender, stiff, sharp projections oriented in the general plane of the structure , wartywarty: surface relief—distinct, rounded projections that are large relative to the fruit size; tuberculate, verrucose , glandularglandular: surface relief—covered with small, raised secretory glands, regular or irregularly shaped, translucent or opaque, and maybe distinctly colored , sometimes pubescentpubescent: surface relief—bearing hairs
Color(s)	brown
Unique features	Seeds with strongly curvedcurved: (of embryo) linear embryo is curved into an arch or horseshoe with the ends far apart embryos visible through seed coat.
Other
Embryo	strongly curvedcurved: (of embryo) linear embryo is curved into an arch or horseshoe with the ends far apart , large
Nutritive tissue	endosperm lacking

Distribution

Nearly worldwide distribution. Occurs throughout most of the Americas including the West Indies, Eurasia, Africa, Indian Ocean Islands, and Australia.

Distribution map courtesy of Angiosperm Phylogeny Website.

References

Baskin and Baskin 2021Baskin and Baskin 2021:
Baskin C and Baskin J. 2021. Relationship of the lateral embryo (in grasses) to other monocot embryos: A status up-grade. Seed Science Research 31 (3): 199-210. doi:10.1017/S0960258521000209; Carter 1960Carter 1960:
Carter S. 1960. Alismataceae. In: Hubbard CE and Milne-Redhead E, eds. Flora of Tropical East Africa. Vol 4. Crown Agents for Oversea Governments and Administrations, London UK. 16 pp.; Dahlgren et al. 1985Dahlgren et al. 1985:
Dahlgren RMT, Clifford HT, and Yeo PF. 1985. The families of the monocotyledons: structure, evolution, and taxonomy. Springer-Verlag, Berlin. 520 pp.; Flora of Australia 2021+Flora of Australia 2021+:
Flora of Australia. Australian Biological Resources Study, Canberra. Accessed January 2021–March 2024. URL: http://www.ausflora.org.au; Flora of North America Editorial Committee 1993+Flora of North America Editorial Committee 1993+:
Flora of North America Editorial Committee, eds. 1993+. Flora of North America North of Mexico [Online]. 22+ vols. Flora of North America Association, New York and Oxford. Accessed January-March 2024. URL: http://beta.floranorthamerica.org.; Kirkbride et al. 2006Kirkbride et al. 2006:
Kirkbride JH, Jr, Gunn CR, and Dallwitz MJ. 2006. Family guide for fruits and seeds, vers. 1.0. Accessed September 2020-January 2022. URL: https://nt.ars-grin.gov/seedsfruits/keys/frsdfam/index.cfm .; Noxious Weed Regulations 2020Noxious Weed Regulations 2020:
Noxious Weed Regulations. 2020. 7 C.F.R. sect; 360.100-360.600.; Thiele and Adams 2014Thiele and Adams 2014:
Thiele KR and Adams LG. 2014. Families of Flowering Plants of Australia. Accessed January-December 2021. URL: https://keys.lucidcentral.org/keys/v3/FFPA/key/FFPA/Media/Html/index.htm; Zhengyi et al. 2004+Zhengyi et al. 2004+:
Zhengyi W, Raven PH, and Deyuan H. 2004+. Flora of China [online]. 25 vols. Science Press, Beijing China & Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis USA. Accessed January–March 2024. http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/; Zomlefer 1994Zomlefer 1994:
Zomlefer WB. 1994. Guide to Flowering Plant Families. The University of North Carolina Press, Chapel Hill. 430 pp.

*The number of genera and species is based on Christenhusz and Byng 2016Christenhusz and Byng 2016:
Christenhusz MJM and Byng JW. 2016. The number of known plant species in the world and its annual increase. Phytotaxa 261 (3): 201-217. https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.261.3.1, which may differ from the number of genera in GRIN-Global.