English: Riverweed family.
Genera: 50; 130 to 250 species.
TaxonomyIn the
Apg3 classification Podostemaceae is a
Family in the Order
Malpighiales. It is closely related to
Clusiaceae.
Plant theoryIn the
Plant theory Podostemaceae is placed in Suphase 3 together with
Hypericaceae; they are placed in
Stage 1.
In the first version of the
Plant theory Podostemaceae was placed together with
Elatinaceae in
Phase 2,
Subphase 1 of
Fabidae, as aquatics have a connection with
Phase 1 and
Stage 1.
BotanyThalloid aquatic herbs, ecologically and morphologically unusual
Angiospermae.
Habitat: aquatics; tropical and subtropical; submerged in swift-running water during the rainy season.
Root: adhering to hard surfaces, rocks in rapids and waterfalls; the leading organ of the plant.
Leaves: ± thalloid, like lichens, seaweed, fern, filmy.
Inflorescence: cyme or single.
Flowers: flowering shortly after emergence during the dry season.
Calyx: sepals 2 to 3.
Corrolla: petals lacking.
Ovary: superior; carpels 2 to 3, fused.
Stamens: 1 to many.
Fruit: capsule.
Seed:
Pollination: by wind, insects.
LiteratureKoi, Satoshi & others; COMPARATIVE ANATOMY OF ROOT MERISTEM AND ROOT CAP IN SOME SPECIES OF PODOSTEMACEAE AND THE EVOLUTION OF ROOT DORSIVENTRALITY; American Journal of
Botany 93(5): 682–692; 2006.
Mora-Olivo, Arturo & Lot, Antonio; Plantas acuáticas mexicanas una contribución a la Flora de México; https://www.researchgate.net/publication/329541568; November 2017
Tippery, Nicholas P. & others;Systematics and
Phylogeny of Neotropical Riverweeds (
Podostemaceae: Podostemoideae); Systematic
Botany (2011), 36(1): pp. 105–118; Doi 10.1600/036364411X553180; 2011.