Alisma L.
water plantain, mad dog weed, mud plantain
Alismataceae
Echinodorus, Orontium, Sagittaria
Northern Hemisphere
Alisma lanceolata With.
A. plantago-aquatica L.
A. subcordatum Raf.
almost cosmopolitan
Alisma plantago-aquatica and A. lanceolata are often weeds in rice fields in various countries.
emergent, broad-leaved rosette
Annual or perennialperennial:
(adj) (of a plant) having a life cycle of more than two years
. Stem a short rhizomatousrhizomatous:
(adj) possessing rhizomes
cormcorm:
(n) a shortened, subterranean bulb-like stem or part of the stem, often bearing scale-like leaves
. Leaves in a basalbasal:
(adj) at or pertaining to the base, or point of attachment
rosette, erect, petiolatepetiolate:
(adj) relating to or in the form of a petiole; bearing petioles
, linear to ovateovate:
(adj) egg-shaped in outline; generally with the broad end at or near the base
, venationvenation:
(n) the arrangement of veins in a leaf
palmatepalmate:
(adj) (of leaves or venation) with lobes, leaflets, divisions or veins originating from the same point
with numerous cross veins; base rounded or cordatecordate:
(adj) heart-shaped; in the form of two rounded lobes
; marginmargin:
(n) edge; rim
entireentire:
(adj) having a continuous margin that is not toothed or lobed
; juvenile leaves submersedsubmersed:
see submerged
. Inflorescenceinflorescence:
(n) the arrangement of flowers on the floral axis
a compoundcompound:
(adj) with two or more like parts, as in a compound leaf; divided into two or more subsidiary parts or orders, as in a compound inflorescence
cyme or paniclepanicle:
(n) an indeterminate, branched (often much-branched) inflorescence; the ultimate units may be of a different inflorescence type
of successive whorls of 3 or more branches of flowers. Flowers bisexualbisexual:
(adj) having both male and female sexual reproductive structures on one individual or in one flower
, with 3 green sepals and 3 white to pink petals with yellowish spot at base of petalpetal:
(n) one segment of the corolla
; stamens 6, in 3 pairs; carpels numerous, in 1 circular to triangular whorlwhorl:
(n) three or more similar organs arranged in a circle at the same point around an axis
. Dispersal by seed.
shallow marginal water of lakes, rivers, streams, swamps, and wet ground
A genus of eight accepted species, and an additional three accepted hybrids; at least two species are used as pond plants.