Herbs, perennial or annual, rhizomatous, evident stems absent; turions absent. Leaves basal, emersed, sessile; sheath persisting longer than blade, not leaving circular scar when shed, ligulate, auriculate with scarious lobes; blade linear; intravaginal squamules scales, more than 2. Inflorescences terminal or axillary, scapose spikes, spikelike racemes, rarely solitary flowers, without spathe, pedunculate; peduncle following fertilization not elongating, not spiraling. Flowers bisexual or unisexual, staminate and pistillate on same plant; subtending bracts absent; perianth present, rarely absent; tepals 1, or 6 in 1–2 series. Bisexual and staminate flowers: stamens 1, 4, or 6, epitepalous, when 4 or 6, then in 2–3 series; anthers distinct, dehiscing longitudinally; pollen globose. Pistillate and bisexual flowers: pistils 1, 3, or 6, not stipitate, when 3 or 6, coherent or weakly connate; ovules basal, anatropous. Fruits nutlets or schizocarps. Seeds 1; embryo straight.

Distribution

Nearly worldwide.

Discussion

Genera 4, species ca. 15 (2 genera, 5 species in the flora).

Selected References

Dahlgren, R. M. T., H. T. Clifford, and P. F. Yeo. 1985. The Families of Monocotyledons. Berlin.

Haynes, R. R. and L. B. Holm-Nielsen. 1985. A generic treatment of Alismatidae in the Neotropics. Acta Amazon. 15(suppl.): 153--193.

Larsen, K. 1966. Cytotaxonomical note on Lilaea. Bot. Not. 119: 496--497.

Reveal, J. L. 1977. Juncaginaceae. In: A. Cronquist et al. 1972+. Intermountain Flora. 5+ vols. New York and London. Vol. 6, pp. 18--22.

Thieret, J. W. 1988. The Juncaginaceae in the southeastern United States. J. Arnold Arbor. 69: 1--23.

Thorne, R. F. 1993. Juncaginaceae. In: J. C. Hickman, ed. 1993. The Jepson Manual. Higher Plants of California. Berkeley, Los Angeles, and London. Pp. 1166--1168.

Lower Taxa

Lilaea, Triglochin

Illustrations

	Family ⠉	Taxon	Illustrator ⠉
	Potamogetonaceae Juncaginaceae Potamogetonaceae	Potamogeton robbinsii Triglochin maritima Potamogeton diversifolius	John Myers John Myers John Myers
	Scheuchzeriaceae Aponogetonaceae Juncaginaceae	Scheuchzeria palustris Aponogeton distachyos Lilaea scilloides	John Myers John Myers John Myers

Key

1	Inflorescences both scapose spikelike racemes with bisexual and unisexual flowers and sessile with pistillate flowers; pistils 1	Lilaea
1	Inflorescences all scapose spikelike racemes with bisexual flowers; fertile pistils 3 or 6	Triglochin