The Limnocharitaceae. Flora Neotropica (56)

The Limnocharitaceae are aquatic herbs with erect or floating leaves and grow as amphiphytes or hydophytes in fresh water, especially stagnant fresh water. The eights species in the family are native to tropical and subtropical regions in both the Eastern and Western Hemispheres. Economically, the family is of little importance though Hydrocleys nymphoides is occasionally grown as an aquarium plant and Limnocharis flava has been introduced into the Paleotropics, where it is now a common rice-field weed. Treatment includes keys, descriptions, distribution maps, black and white illustrations, and phylogenetic analyses.