Description: Free-floating stoloniferous perennials or annuals with [submerged] floating or emergent stalked leaf blades.
Leaves with petiole-like stalk sometimes inflated; blade linear to circular.
Inflorescence spike-like or paniculate, subtended by 2 dissimilar spathes; lower spathe leaf-like, the upper bract-like. Flowers zygomorphic, mono-, di- or tri-stylous. Perianth blue, tubular, 6-lobed. Stamens 6, fused at different levels to near the top of the perianth tube. Ovary 3-locular.
Fruit a capsule; seeds numerous.
Distribution and occurrence: World: c. 7 species, tropical America, though now introduced and widespread through the tropics. Australia: 1 species (naturalized).
Text by S. W. L. Jacobs
Taxon concept:
| One species in NSW: Eichhornia crassipes |
|
