Zannichellia
Encyclopedia
Zannichellia is a genus of submerged aquatic
flowering plant
. The genus is fully adapted to an aquatic life cycle
including underwater pollination
. Zannichellia has threadlike leaves
and tiny flower
s.
There are perhaps five species, including Zannichellia palustris
.
Aquatic plant
Aquatic plants are plants that have adapted to living in aquatic environments. They are also referred to as hydrophytes or aquatic macrophytes. These plants require special adaptations for living submerged in water, or at the water's surface. Aquatic plants can only grow in water or in soil that is...
flowering plant
Flowering plant
The flowering plants , also known as Angiospermae or Magnoliophyta, are the most diverse group of land plants. Angiosperms are seed-producing plants like the gymnosperms and can be distinguished from the gymnosperms by a series of synapomorphies...
. The genus is fully adapted to an aquatic life cycle
Biological life cycle
A life cycle is a period involving all different generations of a species succeeding each other through means of reproduction, whether through asexual reproduction or sexual reproduction...
including underwater pollination
Hydrophily
Hydrophily is a fairly uncommon form of pollination whereby pollen is distributed by the flow of waters, particularly in rivers and streams. Hydrophilous species fall into two categories: those that distribute their pollen to the surface of water, and those that distribute it beneath the...
. Zannichellia has threadlike leaves
Leaf
A leaf is an organ of a vascular plant, as defined in botanical terms, and in particular in plant morphology. Foliage is a mass noun that refers to leaves as a feature of plants....
and tiny flower
Flower
A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants . The biological function of a flower is to effect reproduction, usually by providing a mechanism for the union of sperm with eggs...
s.
There are perhaps five species, including Zannichellia palustris
Zannichellia palustris
Zannichellia palustris, , is a plant found in fresh to brackish waters in the United States , Europe, and South America. It is recognizable by its long, thread like leaves, and "stringy" appearance. Its roots are also long and tendril-like, and its seeds bear a distinctive horned shape, hence the...
.