The World Flora Online

SELECTED REFERENCES

Bruggen, H. W. E. van. 1973. Revision of the genus Aponogeton (Aponogetonaceae): VI. The species of Africa. Bull. Jard. Bot. Natl. Belg. 43: 1--2, 193--233. Bruggen, H. W. E. van. 1985. Monograph of the Genus Aponogeton (Aponogetonaceae). Stuttgart.

Herbs, perennial, rhizomatous, caulescent; turions absent. Leaves alternate, floating [submersed], petiolate [sessile]; sheath not persisting longer than blade, not leaving circular scar when shed, not ligulate, not auriculate; blade ovate to narrowly lanceolate [linear]; intravaginal squamules (i.e., minute appressed, planate trichomes attached at basal edge) scales, more than 2. Inflorescences terminal, spikes, subtended by spathe, pedunculate; peduncle following fertilization not elongating, not spiraling. Flowers bisexual [unisexual]; subtending bracts absent; perianth present [absent]; tepals 1[--6]; stamens 6--18[--50] in 2--3[--4] series, not epitepalous; anthers distinct, dehiscing longitudinally; pollen ellipsoid; pistils 2--6[--9], distinct, not stipitate; ovules basal-marginal, anatropous. Fruits follicles. Seeds 4; embryo straight.

Plantes'aquatiques, vivaces, rarement dioïques, très rarement apogames; souche tubéreuse ou cyclindrique et souvent ramifiée ou rhizome, produisant une touffe de feuilles et des inflorescences.'Feuilles'submergées et/ou flottantes, très rarement émergées, à nervure médiane généralement distincte et à une ou plusieurs paires de nervures principales parallèles, réunies par de nombreuses nervilles transversales.'Inflorescences'longuement pédonculées, émergées, enveloppées au stade juvénile par une spathe caduque ou rarement persistante, comprenant 1 ou 2-11 épis; fleurs disposées le plus souvent en spirale sur le rachis, plus rarement dorsiventralement.'Fleurs'bisexuées chez la plupart des espèces, plus rarement unisexuées; tépales généralement 2, rarement 1, 3, 6 ou absents, le plus souvent persistants, rarement caducs; étamines 6, rarement plus nombreuses, absentes chez les individus ♀ ou apogames; carpelles le plus souvent 3, parfois plus nombreux surtout chez les individus apogames, absents chez les individus ♂, libres, le plus souvent sessiles, rétrécis en style à crête stigmatique située du côté interne; ovules 1-12 par carpelle.'Fruits'le plus souvent pourvus d'un bec distinct, latéral ou terminal, souvent courbe.'Graines exalbuminées; testa constitué le plus souvent d'une seule enveloppe, parfois de 2 enveloppes, l'interne brune et étroitement appliquée sur l'embryon, l'externe lâche, transparente et réticulinerve; embryon à plumule logée dans un sillon ou non, ou sans plumule, comme c'est le cas dans toutes les espèces à testa double.\n\t\t\tFamille monogénérique des zones intertropicale et subtropicales de l'Ancien Monde, à aire s'étendant de l'Afrique et de Madagascar jusqu'au sud-ouest, au nord et à l'est de l'Australie, en passant par l'Inde, le sud-est de l'Asie et la Malaisie; son aire principale se situe en Afrique et à Madagascar.

Fruits opening on the adaxial side Carpels free, 3-6, sessile; style short; ovules 2 or more, ascending Stamens 6 or more, free, hypogynous, persistent; anthers extrorse, 2-locular Perianth-segments 1-3, or absent, sometimes petaloid and bract-like, equal or unequal, usually persistent Flowers hermaphrodite or rarely unisexual, spicate-scapose, spike simple or usually 2- (rarely up to 8-) forked, without bracts Leaves long-petiolate, or sessile, oblong-elliptic to linear, with few principal parallel nerves and numerous transverse secondary nerves Fresh-water aquatic herbs with submerged or floating leaves; rhizome tuberous, with fibrous roots Seeds without endosperm Carpels free, 3-6, sessile; style short; ovules 2 or more, ascending Stamens 6 or more, free, hypogynous, persistent; anthers extrorse, 2-locular Perianth-segments 1-3, or absent, sometimes petaloid and bract-like, equal or unequal, usually persistent Flowers hermaphrodite or rarely unisexual, spicate-scapose, spike simple or usually 2- (rarely up to 8-) forked, without bracts Leaves long-petiolate, or sessile, oblong-elliptic to linear, with few principal parallel nerves and numerous transverse secondary nerves Fresh-water aquatic herbs with submerged or floating leaves; rhizome tuberous, with fibrous roots Seeds without endosperm

Herbs, perennial, freshwater aquatic. Rhizome tuberous, with fibrous roots. Leaves submerged and/or floating, basal, long petiolate, broadly elliptic to linear, with few primary veins and numerous transverse secondary veins, sheathed at base. Inflorescence usually a simple or 2-forked terminal spike; spathe present, but usually very early caducous. Flowers hermaphroditic or unisexual. Perianth segments 1-3 or rarely absent, white, yellow, mauve, or bluish violet, often petaloid, persistent. Stamens 6 to many; filaments elongated, free, filiform or flattened; anthers extrorse, 2-celled, opening by longitudinal slits. Carpels 3-6(-8), free or slightly united near base; ovary superior; style short; ovules 2-8 per carpel. Fruit a whorl of follicles. Seeds without endosperm; embryo straight.

Rhizomatous glabrous monoecious or rarely dioecious herbs with tubers, usually growing submerged in fresh water or (after drying up) on wet soil Fruit a 1–14-seeded follicle Seeds discoidal to fusiform, straight or slightly curved, with a simple or double testa; endosperm absent Leaves all basal and alternate, simple and usually with long petioles; blades oblong to linear Inflorescence usually a simple or bifid spike (rarely the spike digitate and divided into 3–4 parts), at first enclosed in a thin caducous spathe, very rarely (in the South African species A. ranunculiflorus) the inflorescence is much abbreviated simulating a >i>Ranunculus flower Stamens 1–6, rarely more; filaments free, filiform or flattened; anthers extrorse, 2-thecous, most often only 0.2–0.5 mm. long Ovaries 3–8, free or slightly united near their base; each ovary superior and 1-locular, with 1–14 erect ovules borne along one side of the locule-wall or at the base of the locule Flowers bisexual or more rarely unisexual Tepals 1–6 or absent, petal-like, often persisting in fruit Fruit a 1–14-seeded follicle Seeds discoidal to fusiform, straight or slightly curved, with a simple or double testa; endosperm absent Leaves all basal and alternate, simple and usually with long petioles; blades oblong to linear Inflorescence usually a simple or bifid spike (rarely the spike digitate and divided into 3–4 parts), at first enclosed in a thin caducous spathe, very rarely (in the South African species A. ranunculiflorus) the inflorescence is much abbreviated simulating a >i>Ranunculus flower Stamens 1–6, rarely more; filaments free, filiform or flattened; anthers extrorse, 2-thecous, most often only 0.2–0.5 mm. long Ovaries 3–8, free or slightly united near their base; each ovary superior and 1-locular, with 1–14 erect ovules borne along one side of the locule-wall or at the base of the locule Flowers bisexual or more rarely unisexual Tepals 1–6 or absent, petal-like, often persisting in fruit