''Nymphoides'', or floatingheart, is a

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

of aquatic

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (). The term angiosperm is derived from the Ancient Greek, Greek words (; 'container, vessel') and (; 'seed'), meaning that the seeds are enclosed with ...

s in the family Menyanthaceae. The genus name refers to their resemblance to the water lily '' Nymphaea''. ''Nymphoides'' are aquatic plants with submerged roots and floating

leaves A leaf (: leaves) is a principal appendage of the stem of a vascular plant, usually borne laterally above ground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", while the leaves, stem, ...

that hold the small flowers above the water surface. Flowers are sympetalous, most often divided into five lobes (petals). The petals are either yellow or white, and may be adorned with lateral wings or covered in small hairs. The

inflorescence In botany, an inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a plant's Plant stem, stem that is composed of a main branch or a system of branches. An inflorescence is categorized on the basis of the arrangement of flowers on a mai ...

consists of either an umbellate cluster of flowers or a lax raceme, with internodes occurring between generally paired flowers. Species of ''Nymphoides'' are sold as aquarium plants, including the "banana plant", '' N. aquatica'' and the "water snowflake", '' N. indica''. Species native to the United States are '' N. cordata'' in the northeast and '' N. aquatica'' in the southeast. '' Nymphoides peltata'' is native to Europe and Asia, but can be found in the United States as an invasive aquatic weed. The non-native species '' N. cristata'' and '' N. indica'' also reportedly occur in Florida (Jacono 2000). '' Nymphoides hydrophylla'' slim stem (spear) are used as

vegetable Vegetables are edible parts of plants that are consumed by humans or other animals as food. This original meaning is still commonly used, and is applied to plants collectively to refer to all edible plant matter, including edible flower, flo ...

at Meinong District, Kaohsiung,

Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia. The main geography of Taiwan, island of Taiwan, also known as ''Formosa'', lies between the East China Sea, East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocea ...

. Numerous species of ''Nymphoides'' grow in Australia, and others exist in Africa, America, and Asia. ;Species Nymphoides indica1

There are approximately 50 species of ''Nymphoides'', including: Pantropical: * '' Nymphoides indica'' (L.) Kuntze Africa: * '' Nymphoides bosseri'' A.Raynal * '' Nymphoides brevipedicellata'' (Vatke) A.Raynal * '' Nymphoides elegans'' A.Raynal * '' Nymphoides ezannoi'' Berhaut * '' Nymphoides forbesiana'' (Griseb.) Kuntze * '' Nymphoides guineensis'' A.Raynal * '' Nymphoides humilis'' A.Raynal * '' Nymphoides milnei'' A.Raynal * '' Nymphoides moratiana'' A.Raynal * '' Nymphoides rautaneni'' (N.E.Br.) A.Raynal * '' Nymphoides tenuissima'' A.Raynal * '' Nymphoides thunbergiana'' (Griseb.) Kuntze North America: * '' Nymphoides aquatica'' (J.F.Gmel.) Kuntze * '' Nymphoides cordata'' (Elliott) Fernald Central and South America: * '' Nymphoides fallax'' Ornduff * '' Nymphoides flaccida'' L.Sm. * '' Nymphoides grayana'' (Griseb.) Kuntze * '' Nymphoides herzogii'' A.Galàn-Mera & G.Navarro * '' Nymphoides humboldtiana'' (Kunth) Kuntze * '' Nymphoides microphylla'' (A.St.-Hil.) Kuntze * '' Nymphoides verrucosa'' (R.E.Fries)A.Galàn-Mera & G.Navarro Eurasia: * '' Nymphoides peltata'' (S.G.Gmel.) Kuntze Asia: * '' Nymphoides balakrishnanii'' P.Biju, Josekutty, Haneef & Augustine * '' Nymphoides coreana'' (Léveille) Hara * '' Nymphoides hastata'' (Dop) Kerr * '' Nymphoides hydrophylla'' (Lour.) Kuntze * '' Nymphoides krishnakesara'' K.T.Joseph & Sivar. * '' Nymphoides lungtanensis'' S.P.Li, T.H.Hsieh & C.C.Lin * '' Nymphoides macrospermum'' Vasudevan * '' Nymphoides siamensis'' (Ostenf.) Kerr * '' Nymphoides sivarajanii'' K.T.Joseph * '' Nymphoides tonkinensis'' (Dop) P.H.Ho Asia and Australia: * '' Nymphoides aurantiaca'' (Dalzell) Kuntze * '' Nymphoides parvifolia'' (Wall.) Kuntze Australia: * '' Nymphoides beaglensis'' Aston * '' Nymphoides crenata'' (F.Muell.) Kuntze * '' Nymphoides disperma'' Aston * '' Nymphoides elliptica'' Aston * '' Nymphoides exigua'' (F.Muell.) Kuntze * '' Nymphoides exiliflora'' (F.Muell.) Kuntze * '' Nymphoides furculifolia'' Specht * '' Nymphoides geminata'' (R.Br.) Kuntze * '' Nymphoides hydrocharioides'' (F.Muell.) Kuntze * '' Nymphoides montana'' Aston * '' Nymphoides planosperma'' Aston * '' Nymphoides quadriloba'' Aston * '' Nymphoides simulans'' Aston * '' Nymphoides spinulosperma'' Aston * '' Nymphoides spongiosa'' Aston * '' Nymphoides stygia'' (J.M.Black) H.Eichler * '' Nymphoides subacuta'' Aston * '' Nymphoides triangularis'' Aston

References

Jacono, C. 2000. Know ''Nymphoides''. ''Aquaphyte'' 22 (supplemental insert)

{{Authority control Asterales genera