Menyanthes

Scientific name

Menyanthes L.

Common names

buckbean, bogbean

Family

Menyanthaceae

Native distribution

north temperatetemperate:
(adj) of the climatic zone between boreal and tropical
regions

Species cultivated

Menyanthes trifoliata L.

Adventive distribution

previously introduced ito New Zealand, but has been eradicated

Weed status

not weedy

Habit

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

Brief description

Rhizomes thick, creeping to floating. Leaves basalbasal:
(adj) at or pertaining to the base, or point of attachment
, alternatealternate:
(adj) (of leaves) bearing one leaf per node; placed singly on the stem at different heights
, emergentemergent:
(adj) (syn. emersed) with parts raised out of the water; extending up out of the water
, erect; petiolatepetiolate:
(adj) relating to or in the form of a petiole; bearing petioles
; base sheathing; leaf bladeblade:
(n) (syn. lamina) the flat, expanded part of a leaf, frond, or petal (excluding, e.g., the petiole)
trifoliate; leaflets ellipticelliptical:
(adj) in the form of an ellipse (oval)
to obovateobovate:
(adj) ovate, with the narrow end at the base
, marginmargin:
(n) edge; rim
entire to crenulate, apexapex:
(n) the point farthest from the point of attachment; the tip (often pointed)
acute ­or obtuseobtuse:
(adj) with a blunt or rounded apex and sides coming together at an angle of more than 90 degrees
, base cuneatecuneate:
(adj) wedge-shaped; triangular, with narrow end at the base
. Inflorescenceinflorescence:
(n) the arrangement of flowers on the floral axis
a scapose, many-flowered racemeraceme:
(n) an indeterminate, unbranched inflorescence having pedicelled flowers on a usually elongated axis (may be cymose)
borne on a pedunclepeduncle:
(n) the stalk of a flower cluster or inflorescence
; bracts present, apexapex:
(n) the point farthest from the point of attachment; the tip (often pointed)
obtuseobtuse:
(adj) with a blunt or rounded apex and sides coming together at an angle of more than 90 degrees
, marginmargin:
(n) edge; rim
entire. Flowers pedicellatepedicellate:
(adj) borne on a pedicel
; calyxcalyx:
(n) the outer whorl of the perianth; all the sepals of a flower
persistentpersistent:
(adj) (of leaves etc,) remaining attached; not being dropped or falling off
, tubulartubular:
(adj) (of a corolla, perianth, calyx tube or other structure) (1) tube-shaped; cylindrical: narrow and elongate with more or less straight sides; (2) having segments fused into a tube (of any shape)
, deeply 5-lobed, lobes ± ovateovate:
(adj) egg-shaped in outline; generally with the broad end at or near the base
; corollacorolla:
(n) the inner whorl(s) of the perianth; all the petals of a flower
campanulate, 5-lobed, lobes ellipticelliptical:
(adj) in the form of an ellipse (oval)
-lanceolate, fimbriatefimbriate:
(adj) fringed with long hairs or processes
adaxially, glabrousglabrous:
(adj) without hairs or scales
abaxially, white-pale pink. Stamens inserted on the corollacorolla:
(n) the inner whorl(s) of the perianth; all the petals of a flower
, anthers sagittatesagittate:
(adj) shaped like an arrowhead
; styles persistentpersistent:
(adj) (of leaves etc,) remaining attached; not being dropped or falling off
, linear.

Distinctive inflorescenceinflorescence:
(n) the arrangement of flowers on the floral axis
and trifoliate leaves make this species unmistakable.

Natural habitat

in bogs and shallow waters

Additional comments

Menyanthes is a monotypicmonotypic:
(adj) represented by a single example (species)
genus cultivated for use in ponds. It is also cultivated for decoration and medicinal uses. This species flowers in early spring before major vegetativevegetative:
(adj) (1) pertaining to or to the growth of plant organs or plant parts that have nonreproductive functions, such as leaves, roots, stems, etc.; (2) concering non sexual propagules such as tubers, turions, stem fragments, root crowns, rhizomes
growth begins.