Plantaginaceae

Limnophila R.Br.

First published in Prodr. Fl. Nov. Holland.: 442 (1810)
This genus is accepted
The native range of this genus is Tropical & Subtropical Old World to China.

Descriptions

Scrophulariaceae, S.A. Ghazanfar, F.N. Hepper & D. Philcox. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 2008

Morphology General Habit
Herbs, aquatic or in marshes, often aromatic on bruising, glabrous, pubescent or glandular.
Morphology Stem
Stems erect, simple or more usually branched, ± submerged, prostrate and rooting at nodes
Morphology Leaves
Leaves of two types with one or both types on the same plant: submerged leaves finely divided, verticillate; aerial leaves undivided or variously laciniate, opposite or verticillate; ± punctate
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers sessile or pedicellate, solitary in the axils or in lax or compact, terminal or axillary spikes or racemes; bracteoles 0 or 2
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx tubular, 5-lobed, lobes unequal, tube with 0–5 prominent veins or striate with more than 10 prominent veins present at maturity
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Corolla tubular or funnel-shaped, 5-lobed, bilabiate; upper (adaxial) lip outside in bud, entire or 2-lobed; lower (abaxial) lip 3-lobed
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens 4, didynamous, included, posterior pair shorter; anthers free, loculi stipitate
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium
Ovary glabrous; stigma bilamellate;  style filiform, deflexed at the apex
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Capsule ellipsoid to globose, septicidally 4-valved
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds numerous.
Note
All the species represented here are heterophyllous, bearing both aerial entire leaves and, in an aquatic state, divided filamentous submerged leaves; as such, all occur in section Limnophila (see Philcox in K.B. 24: 107 (1970)).
[FTEA]

Scrophulariaceae, D. Philcox. Flora Zambesiaca 8:2. 1990

Morphology General Habit
Annual or perennial, aquatic or marsh herbs, frequently aromatic when bruised, glabrous, pubescent or glandular.
Morphology Stem
Stems erect, prostrate or creeping, rooting at nodes, simple or more usually, branched.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves, when submerged in truly aquatic species, laciniate, pinnatifid to capillary-multifid, glabrous; aerial leaves opposite to verticillate, sessile or petiolate, entire to serrate, laciniate or pinnately divided, where undivided, pinnately or parallel nerved; punctate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers sessile or pedicellate, solitary-axillary or in lax or compact, terminal or axillary spikes or racemes; bracteoles 0 or 2.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx tubular, 5-lobed; lobes sub-equal or with adaxial lobe enlarged; tube terete with 0–5 prominent nerves or striate with more than 10 prominent nerves present at maturity.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Corolla tubular or infundibuliform, 5-lobed, bilabiate; adaxial lip outside in bud, entire or bilobed; abaxial lip three-lobed, erect or spreading.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens 4, included, didynamous, posterior pair shorter; anthers free, loculi stipitate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary
Ovary glabrous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Stigma
Stigma bilamellate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style
Style filiform, deflexed at apex.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Capsule ellipsoid to globose, septicidally 4-valved; valves bifid.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds small, numerous.
[FZ]

Sources

  • Flora Zambesiaca

    • Flora Zambesiaca
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of Tropical East Africa

    • Flora of Tropical East Africa
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Plants and People Africa

    • Common Names from Plants and People Africa http://www.plantsandpeopleafrica.com/
    • © Plants and People Africa http://www.plantsandpeopleafrica.com http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • World Checklist of Vascular plants (WCVP)

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0