Description :

• Perennial or annual herbs, aquatics or wetland plants, often with tufted rootstocks or rhizomes
• Leaves alternate, basal or subopposite, simple; petioles often long, sheathing at base; blade ovate-oblong to orbicular, stipules 0
• Inflorescence of simple or branched racemes or cymes, or flowers fascicled at nodes, in pairs or solitary
• Flowers bisexual, regular, often heterostylous
• Sepals 5(6), united at base
• Petals 5, united at base, often fimbriate
• Stamens 5, united to petals, arising at or below corolla throat; anthers with longitudinal slits
• Ovary superior, 1-locular with 2 parietal placentas, with 2-many ovules
• Fruit a capsule
• Seeds 2-many

Nomenclature:

• Menyanthaceae
  • Marais & Verdoorn: 241 (1963) under Gentianaceae
  • Aston: 2 (1969)
  • Raynal: 412 (1974)
  • Cook: 128 (1990)
  • Mackinder: 51 (1990)

Distribution & Notes:

• Global : Genera 5, species 40-50, cosmopolitan
• Southern Africa : Genera 2, species 6

References:

• ASTON, H.I. 1969. The genus Villarsia ( Menyanthaceae ) in Australia. Muelleria 2,1
• COOK, C.D.K. 1990. Aquatic plant book . SPB Academic Publishing, The Hague
• MACKINDER, B. 1990. Menyanthaceae . Flora zambesiaca 7,4
• MARAIS, W. & VERDOORN, I.C. 1963. Gentianaceae . Flora of southern Africa 26
• RAYNAL, A. 1974. Le genre Nymphoides ( Menyanthaceae ) en Afrique et à Madagascar. 1re Partie: Morphologie. Adansonia 2,14(2)

Resources:

• Key to Menyanthaceae genera

• Menyanthaceae genera: