Family · Monocots

Potamogetonaceae

Pondweeds

Cosmopolitan submerged and floating-leaved freshwater herbs important as aquatic wildlife food.

Accepted species: 193accepted names · Kew WCVP
Genera: 5accepted genera · Kew WCVP
Origin: ≈31 MaPaleogene · crown age, Jin & Qian 2022 megatree
Centre of diversity: Europemost native species · WGSRPD

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

Plants you might know

Potamogeton
Stuckenia

Genera

Potamogeton166 spp.
Althenia10 spp.
Stuckenia10 spp.
Zannichellia6 spp.
Groenlandia1 spp.

Where it grows

Europe81
Asia-Temperate76
Northern America56
Asia-Tropical36
Africa28
Australasia24
Southern America24
Pacific8
Antarctic2

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

Related families

Potamogetonaceae sits in the order Alismatales.