Elatinaceae

a family of dicotyledonous plants, including mostly aquatic, coastal, or marsh herbs. Subshrubs are sometimes encountered in the tropics. The entire leaves are opposite or, less often, in verticils; they are punctate with glands and have two small scarious stipules. The small flowers, which are commonly regular and bisexual, are pentamerous, dimerous, or trimerous. They may be solitary or in small inflorescences. The fruit is a pod. The family Elatinaceae includes two genera, embracing approximately 45 species. The plants are found in both hemispheres. The genus Bergia has 25 species, distributed primarily in the tropics and subtropics. Two species grow in the USSR as weeds in rice plantings (mainly in Transcaucasia and Middle Asia). Species of the genus Elatine are the most widespread.