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biodiversity explorer

the web of life in southern Africa

Genus: Aponogeton (wateruintjies)

Life > eukaryotes > Archaeoplastida > Chloroplastida > Charophyta > Streptophytina > Plantae (land plants) > Tracheophyta (vascular plants) > Euphyllophyta > Lignophyta (woody plants) > Spermatophyta (seed plants) > Angiospermae (flowering plants) > Monocotyledons > Order: Alismatales > Family: Aponogetonaceae

Forty-three species, native to tropical to temperate regions of Asia, Africa, Madagascar and Australia. Eleven species are native to southern Africa. 

Plants grow in freshwater with leaves floating on the surface. 

Species native to southern Africa

List from Plants of Southern Africa - an Online Checklist (SANBI), Flora of Zimbabwe and Flora of Mozambique.

Aponogeton afroviolaceus

Recorded from Zimbabwe. See Flora of Zimbabwe.

 

Aponogeton angustifolius

A Western Cape endemic.

 

Aponogeton azureus

Endemic to Namibia.

 

Aponogeton desertorum

Occurs in Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Mozambique, Limpopo, North West Province and Eastern Cape. See Flora of Zimbabwe.

  

Aponogeton distachyos (Cape Pondweed)

A Western Cape endemic. The flowers are harvested as a vegetable.

Aponogeton fugax

Occurs in the Northern Cape and Western Cape.

 

Aponogeton junceus

Widespread in southern Africa. See Flora of Zimbabwe.

Aponogeton natalensis

Occurs in Limpopo, North West, Gauteng, Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape.

 

Aponogeton ranunculiflorus

Occurs in KwaZulu-Natal and Limpopo

  

Aponogeton rehmannii

Occurs in Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Limpopo, North West, Gauteng, Mpumalanga and Free State. See Flora of Zimbabwe.

 

Aponogeton stuhlmannii

Occurs in Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Limpopo, North West, Gauteng, Mpumalanga. See Flora of Zimbabwe.

 

Publications

  • Lye, K.A. 1989. Aponogetonaceae. Flora of Tropical East Africa: 1–10.

  • Lye, K.A. 1989. A new variety of Aponogeton afroviolaceus. Lidia 2: 8.

  • Obermeyer, A.A. 1966. Aponogetonaceae. Flora of southern Africa 1: 85-92.

  • Van Bruggen, H.W.E. 1973. Revision of the genus Aponogeton (Aponogetonaceae) VI. The species in Africa. Bulletin du Jardin Botanique National de Belgique 43 (1/2): 193-233.