Brasenia

Brasenia
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Order: Nymphaeales
Family: Cabombaceae
Genus: Brasenia
Schreb.
Species:
B. schreberi
Binomial name
Brasenia schreberi
Synonyms[2]
  • Barteria Welw.
  • Brasenia hydropeltis Muhl.
  • Brasenia nymphoides Baill.
  • Brasenia purpurea (Michx.) Casp.
  • Brasenia pelta Casp.

Brasenia is a genus belonging to the family Cabombaceae, consisting of one species, Brasenia schreberi, commonly known as watershield. It is widely distributed in North America, the West Indies, northern South America (Venezuela, Guyana), eastern Asia (China, Japan, Korea, Primorye), Australia, the Indian Subcontinent, and parts of Africa.[2][3][4][5][6][7][8]

For sale in a Japanese supermarket, 2014

Brasenia is a perennial aquatic plant with floating, peltate leaves and rhizomatous stems. It is identified by its bright green leaves, small purple flowers that bloom from June through September, and a thick mucilage that covers all of the underwater organs, including the underside of the leaves, stems, and developing buds. This mucilage may be an anti-herbivore defence trait,[9] perhaps to deter snail grazing. It grows in shallow water of lakes, rivers and beaver ponds, particularly those with somewhat acidic water.

Junsai with visible mucilage.
  1. ^ Maiz-Tome, L. (2016). Brasenia schreberi. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T185681A78457027. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-1.RLTS.T185681A78457027.en. Downloaded on 14 July 2018.
  2. ^ a b Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
  3. ^ Biota of North America Program, 2013 county distribution map
  4. ^ Flora of China Vol. 6 Page 119, 莼菜属 chun cai shu, Brasenia Schreber, Gen. Pl. 1: 372. 1789.
  5. ^ Iwatsuki, K., Boufford, D.E. & Ohba, H. (eds.) (2006). Flora of Japan IIa: 1-550. Kodansha Ltd., Tokyo.
  6. ^ Hokche, O., Berry, P.E. & Huber, O. (eds.) (2008). Nuevo Catálogo de la Flora Vascular de Venezuela: 1-859. Fundación Instituto Botánico de Venezuela.
  7. ^ Figueiredo, E. & Smith, G.F. (2008). Plants of Angola. Strelitzia 22: 1-279. National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.
  8. ^ Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & Strong, M.T. (2012). Catalogue of seed plants of the West Indies. Smithsonian Contributions to Botany 98: 1-1192.
  9. ^ Keddy, P.A. 2010. Wetland Ecology: Principles and Conservation (2nd edition). Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK. Figure 6.9