English: Water shield family.
Synonym: Hydropeltidaceae.
Clades: Nymphaeales; Nymphaeidae;
Magnolianae;
Angiospermae;
Plants.
Members: 2 Genera, Brasenia and Cabomba; species.
Region: North and South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia.
Habitat: temperate and tropical; restricted ranges.
BotanyHerb: aquatic; perennial; rhizomatous.
Root: slender, branched rhizome; adventitious roots.
Leave: whorled; alternate, or opposite; floating and submerged;
flowers: solitary; pedunculate; bisexual; chasmogamous; actinomorphic; inodorous; float on the water surface or extend beyond; gynoecium consists 2 to 18 free carpels.[fruit: indehiscent; follicle or achene-like; 1 to 3 seeds.
TaxonomyThe Apg1 system of 1998 included this family in the water lily family
Nymphaeaceae, as did the Apg2 system, of 2003. The Apg3 and Apg4 systems separated
Cabombaceae from the family
Nymphaeaceae. The family is part of the order Nymphaeales, one of the most basal flowering plant lineages.