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Cape-pondweed family
Aponogetonaceae J.Agardh
レースソウ科
A family of aquatic plants growing submerged or in wetlands in tropical to warm-temperate regions. Comprises a single genus (Aponogeton) with approximately 55 species. Distributed in Africa, Asia, and Australia; in Japan, species are mainly cultivated as aquarium plants.
Key Characteristics
- ●Leaves submerged or floating, elongated or elliptic
- ●Flowers in spicate or branched spicate inflorescences
- ●Tepals 1 to 3, white or pale-colored
- ●Perennial growing from a rhizome (tuber)
Morphological Traits
A family may include species with different trait values — multiple values indicate the range within the family.
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf type
Simple
Venation
Parallel
Leaf margin
Entire
Growth form
Herb
Evergreen/Deciduous
Deciduous
Latex
Present
Flower symmetry
Zygomorphic
Petal count
3 petals
Ovary position
Superior
Plant sex
Hermaphrodite
Phylogenetic Position
Angiosperms > Monocots > Alismatales > Aponogetonaceae
Divergence Era
Late Cretaceous (ca. 80 million years ago)
Representative Genera
Related Evolution Events
- ・Divergence as a monocot aquatic lineage
- ・Development of submerged leaves and adaptation to hydrophilous pollination
Plants in Cape-pondweed family on this site
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