''Nephrophyllidium'' is a monotypic genus of aquatic flowering plants in the family Menyanthaceae. The sole species is ''Nephrophyllidium crista-galli''. They are wetland plants with basal

reniform Reniform is an adjective meaning "kidney-shaped" and may specifically refer to: * Reniform leaf The following is a list of terms which are used to describe leaf morphology in the description and taxonomy of plants. Leaves may be simple (a single ...

and crenate leaves. Flowers are five-parted and white, and the petals are adorned with lateral wings and a midline keel. ''Nephrophyllidium'' is most nearly related to ''

Menyanthes ''Menyanthes'' is a monotypic genus of flowering plants in the family Menyanthaceae containing the single species ''Menyanthes trifoliata''. The North American form is often referred to as ''M. trifoliata'' var. ''minor'' Michx. It is known ...

'', which is very similar in habit. The genus name is derived from the kidney-shaped leaves ( el, nephros = kidney and ''phyllon'' = leaf), and the specific epithet refers to the curled petal edges ( la, crista galli = cockscomb). ''Nephrophyllidium crista-galli'' is found in the Pacific Northwest of America, and in Japan, where it can be called subspecies ''japonicum'' (Franch.) Yonek. & H.Ohashi. ''Nephrophyllidium'' is commonly known as deer cabbage. The IAPT determined that a prior synonym for the genus, ''Fauria'' Franch., too closely resembled the genus '' Faurea'' (

Proteaceae The Proteaceae form a family of flowering plants predominantly distributed in the Southern Hemisphere. The family comprises 83 genera with about 1,660 known species. Together with the Platanaceae and Nelumbonaceae, they make up the order Pro ...

), and thus conserved ''Nephrophyllidium'' as the accepted genus name.

References

Menyanthaceae Monotypic Asterales genera Flora of North America Flora of Japan {{Asterales-stub