Description: Dioecious aquatic perennials with submerged whorled leaves and floating flowers.
Leaves in whorls of 3–8.
Flowers axillary, unisexual. Spathe compressed-ellipsoid, with cleft down one side, better developed in male flowers. Hypanthium thread-like. Perianth in 2 whorls, each of 3 segments, outer sepaloid, the inner larger and petaloid. Male flowers 2–4 per spathe, separating early and becoming free-floating; stamens 9. Female flower solitary, the spathe split on 1 side.
Fruit capsular; seeds 1–5.
Distribution and occurrence: World: 2 species, South America. Australia: 1 species (naturalized).
Text by S. W. L. Jacobs
Taxon concept:
| One species in NSW: Egeria densa |
|
