| Juncaginaceae | |
|---|---|
| Triglochin palustris | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Monocots |
| Order: | Alismatales |
| Family: | Juncaginaceae Rich. |
| genera | |
|
see text |
|
Juncaginaceae is the botanical name of a family of flowering plants, recognized by most taxonomists for the past few decades. It is also known as the Arrowgrass family.
The APG II system, of 2003 (unchanged from the APG system, of 1998), also recognizes such a family and places it in the order Alismatales, in the clade monocots. The family includes perhaps four genera (with Triglochin the best known), totalling about a dozen species, which are found in cold or temperate regions in both the Northern and Southern Hemisphere.
Juncaginaceae are marsh or aquatic herbs with linear, sheathing basal leaves.
The flowers are small and green in erect spikes or racemes. The flower parts come in threes, but the carpels are either 3 or 6, joined to a superior ovary.
The fruit is a capsule.[1]
Example arrowgrasses Triglochin include the Marsh Arrowgrass (Triglochin palustris), the Sea Arrowgrass (Triglochin maritima), and also other species like Triglochin trichophora, Triglochin striata and Triglochin mucronata.
According to the APG website, the family contains the following four genera: Triglochin, Lilaea, Maundia and Tetroncium.
The Maundia genus was grouped within the Juncaginaceae family by the APG II. The newer APG III version, though, suggests it may be necessary to split Maundia off into its own family, Maundiaceae.