Family: Menyanthaceae

Habit: Roots in the substrate and produces leaves and flowers that float on the surface of the water.

Leaves: Heart-shaped. The upper surface is green, usually with a red margin, and the underside is smooth and reddish. They form at the end of long floating stems. Up to 8 inches in length and 6 inches in width.

Flowers: White, with a yellow throat, with five petals. They have a distinct upright petal tissue fold or "crest" along the midrib of the upper surface of each petal lobe, up to 1 inch wide.

Fruits: Capsules (6 mm in length) containing up to 20 seeds.

Reproduction: Mainly through spiny offsets, which float through the water column and eventually sink to the bottom where they can root and sprout to form new plants. A single founding plant can produce up to 500 offsets over a six-month period, and 40% of these are likely to sprout.