| Classification |
| Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Pteridophyta
Class: Pteridopsida
Order Type: Fern and Fern allies
Order: Marsileales
Family: Marsileaceae
Family Common Name: Water-Clover Family
Genera: Marsilea |
Defining Morphology: Genera(3)
include Marsilea, Pilularia and Regnellidium. The Marsileaceae are characterized
by sporocarps, which bear two to many sori. The sporocarps are firm, and
compressed-ovate to globose. They may be slender-pedunculate or subsessile.
Sporangia are indehiscent, and short to long-stalked. They lack an annulus.
Spores are heterosporous, and lack chlorophyll. They are trilete. Microspores
are minute, and borne in groups of 16-64 within microsporangia. Megaspores
are larger, and solitary within each megasporangium. Stems are short- to
long-creeping. Slender and often branched, they are hardly indurate but
bear trichomes. Petioleslack stipules. Leaves are erect and alternate,
in two rows. Circinate in bud, they are filiform, or have a long petiole
with 2 or 4 leaflets. They range from 1-40 cm in length. The vascular cylinderis
solenostelic. Gametophytes are minute, and non-photosynthetic. The female
gametophyte is largely contained within the megasporangium; the microgametophyte
is found within the microspore.
Distribution: Widespread tropics
to temperate.
Economic Use: Plant is suitable
for water gardening.
Number of Genera Globally:
3
Number of Species Globally: 70
