Family · Monocots

Hydrocharitaceae

Tape grass, frogbit

Fully aquatic freshwater and marine herbs including submerged waterweeds and true seagrasses.

Accepted species: 145accepted names · Kew WCVP
Genera: 14accepted genera · Kew WCVP
Origin: ≈45 MaPaleogene · crown age, Jin & Qian 2022 megatree
Centre of diversity: Asia-Temperatemost native species · WGSRPD

Open Hydrocharitaceae in the treePan, zoom and dig into its genera in the interactive view.

Plants you might know

Elodea
Vallisneria
Hydrilla
Thalassia (turtlegrass)

Genera

Najas39 spp.
Ottelia26 spp.
Vallisneria19 spp.
Halophila18 spp.
Blyxa13 spp.
Elodea9 spp.
Lagarosiphon9 spp.
Hydrocharis5 spp.
Thalassia2 spp.
Appertiella1 spp.
Enhalus1 spp.
Hydrilla1 spp.
Nechamandra1 spp.
Stratiotes1 spp.

Where it grows

Asia-Temperate56
Africa51
Asia-Tropical48
Australasia30
Southern America19
Northern America17
Pacific12
Europe10

Native species richness by botanical continent (WGSRPD level 1), from Kew WCVP.

Related families

Hydrocharitaceae sits in the order Alismatales.