TRAPACEAE
NB Now regarded as synonym of Lythraceae.
Morphological description
Aquatic herbs.
Leaves
Leaves dimorphic, floating leaves in a rosette, rhomboid with swollen petiole, submerged leaves opposite, pinnatisect
Inflorescence
Inflorescence.
Flowers
Flowers bisexual, actinomorphic. Ovary inferior, 1-seeded.
Fruit
Fruit provided with horns, 1-seeded.
Seed
Seed.
Different from: Onagraceae (Ludwigia): leaves never dimorphic, fruit many-seeded..
Distribution: The family confined to the Old World. In Malesia only two species of Trapa of which one introduced.
Notes: Both species are floating aquatics, the kernels of T. bicornis are eaten.
Literature: C.G.G. J. van Steenis, Fl. Males. I, 4 (1949) 43- 44.
Spot characters (Van Balgooy): Trapa 92, 95.
Illustrations: Fig. 173. Trapa maximoviczii Korshinsky (Trapaceae). a. Leaf; b. germinating fruit; c & d. fruits. Reproduced from Flora Malesiana I, 4 (1949) 43, fig. 1a-d.
Image in PhytoImages for Trapaceae