Family: Bogbean (Menyanthaceae)

Description: Aquatic, herbaceous perennial with floating leaf blades that resemble a waterlily. A round, deeply notched leaf blade tops the slender petioles. The blades are 4-6 inches in diameter, green, or with irregular purplish blotches. The flowers are on clustered stalks from the node just below the leaf blade, often with clusters of thickened roots at the base of the flowering stalks. The 5-petaled, 3/8 to 1/2 inch flowers are held above the water surface.

Blooms: All year

Found: Swamps, ponds, lakes and canals from New Jersey to Texas through mainland Florida.

Note: This plant is sold in the aquarium trade as Banana Lily because of the banana-like clusters of swollen roots formed beneath the leaf blade.