Barclaya


Barclaya is a genus of 3 - 4 species of flowering plants of the family Nymphaeaceae. Barclaya are aquatic plants native to tropical Asia. The genus was named in honour of the American-born English brewer and patron of science Robert Barclay.

Synonym

Hydrostemma is a name that takes precedence over the name Barclaya, on account of having been published 6 months earlier. However, the name Barclaya, being much better known than Hydrostemma, has been "conserved" and Hydrostemma is therefore a synonym of Barclaya.

Taxonomy

Barclaya is sometimes given its own family status as Barclayaceae on the basis of an extended perianth tube arising from the top of the ovary and by stamens that are joined basally, but morphological and genetic studies support the view that Barclaya should be retained in the family Nymphaeaceae.

Description

Plants grow from egg-shaped tubers that produce short runners and a basal rosette of leaves. All leaves are submerged.

Species