Description: Aquatic or wetland annual or perennial herbs.
Radical leaves erect, with sheathing bases; sessile and linear or petiolate with ovate or ellipsoid laminae, margins entire to crenate-dentate.
Inflorescence paniculate; flowers 1–3 per node or congested into dense, sessile or subsessile capitula or the whole inflorescence consisting of 1–5 flowers. Calyx persistent, 5-lobed; corolla yellow or white, gamopetalous, 5-lobed, rotate, throat fimbriate, margins entire or serrulate. Stamens 5, alternate with corolla lobes; ovary unilocular, ovules5–10.
Fruit a capsule which dehices into 4 valves. Seeds orbicular or ellipsoid.
Distribution and occurrence:
Australia 7 species; NSW 1 species
Text by Louisa Murray
Taxon concept: Tippery, N.P., & Les, D.H. (2009) A New Genus and New Combinations in Australian Villarsia (Menyanthaceae). Novon 19: 404-411.
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