''Heteranthera'' is a genus of
aquatic plants in the
water hyacinth
''Pontederia crassipes'' (formerly ''Eichhornia crassipes''), commonly known as common water hyacinth is an aquatic plant native to South America, naturalized throughout the world, and often invasive outside its native range.[Pontederiaceae
Pontederiaceae is a family of flowering plants.
The APG IV system of 2016 (unchanged from the APG III system of 2009, the APG II system of 2003 and the APG system of 1998) places the family in the order Commelinales, in the commelinid clade, ...]
, known generally as mud plantains. Species of this genus are native to tropical and subtropical
America and
Africa
Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...
. They live in the water or in wet soils. They produce leaves on long
petioles and some are cultivated for their attractive flowers. Leaves are of two types - linear and submerged or orbicular and floating. Some species have
cleistogamic
Cleistogamy is a type of automatic self-pollination of certain plants that can propagate by using non-opening, self-pollinating flowers. Especially well known in peanuts, peas, and pansies, this behavior is most widespread in the grass family. How ...
flowers.
Selected species
*''
Heteranthera callifolia'' (syn. ''H. callaefolia'')
*''
Heteranthera dubia
''Heteranthera dubia'', commonly called water stargrass or grassleaf mudplantain, is a species of aquatic plant in the pickerel-weed family (Pontederiaceae). It is native to North and Central America where it is widespread from Canada to Guatema ...
''
( Jacq.) MacMill. – Grassleaf mud plantain, water stargrass
*''
Heteranthera limosa''
( Sw.) Willd.
Carl Ludwig Willdenow (22 August 1765 – 10 July 1812) was a German botanist, pharmacist, and plant taxonomist. He is considered one of the founders of phytogeography, the study of the geographic distribution of plants. Willdenow was al ...
– Blue mud plantain, ducksalad
*''
Heteranthera mexicana''
S.Watson – Mexican mud plantain
*''
Heteranthera multiflora''
(Griseb.) Horn – Bouquet mud plantain
*''
Heteranthera peduncularis''
Benth. – Egret mud plantain
*''
Heteranthera reniformis''
Ruiz & Pav. – Kidneyleaf mud plantain
*''
Heteranthera rotundifolia''
(Kunth) Griseb. – Roundleaf mud plantain
*''Heteranthera zosterifolia''
– Stargrass
References
External links
Jepson Manual Treatment
Pontederiaceae
Commelinales genera
{{Commelinales-stub