Hydrocleys

Scientific name

Hydrocleys Rich.

Common names

water poppy

Family

Alismataceae

Similar genera

Damasonium, Hydrocharis, Limnobium, Limnocharis, Nymphoides, Potamogeton

Native distribution

Central and South America

Species cultivated

Hydrocleys martii Seub.

H. nymphoides (Humb. & Bonpl. ex Willd.) Buchenau

Adventive distribution

Hydrocleys nymphoides is found in Australia, New Zealand, North America, and several Asian countries.

Weed status

Hydrocleys nymphoides is a significant weed in several countries.

Habit

creeping or floating stoloniferous plant with floating or emergentemergent:
(adj) (syn. emersed) with parts raised out of the water; extending up out of the water
leaves

Brief description

Perennial. Stem creeping, typically floating. Leaves floating or emergentemergent:
(adj) (syn. emersed) with parts raised out of the water; extending up out of the water
, basalbasal:
(adj) at or pertaining to the base, or point of attachment
or in clusters along stem; petioles with transverse septae; leaf bladeblade:
(n) (syn. lamina) the flat, expanded part of a leaf, frond, or petal (excluding, e.g., the petiole)
entireentire:
(adj) having a continuous margin that is not toothed or lobed
, ovateovate:
(adj) egg-shaped in outline; generally with the broad end at or near the base
to suborbicular, venationvenation:
(n) the arrangement of veins in a leaf
palmate, midveinmidvein:
(n) the primary, usually central vein of a leaf or leaflet
distinctive; base cordatecordate:
(adj) heart-shaped; in the form of two rounded lobes
. Seedlings with submersedsubmersed:
see submerged
, linear leaves. Flowers showy, axillaryaxillary:
(adj) in, of, or produced from an axil
, solitary, pedicellatepedicellate:
(adj) borne on a pedicel
; sepals 3; petals 3, white or yellow; stamens numerous. Fruit linear, with numerous seeds. Dispersal by seeds or stem fragments.

Natural habitat

still waters and swamps

Additional comments

Hydrocleys contains at least six species, although only two species are commonly cultivated worldwide for the pond plant trade.