Burnatia enneandra Micheli

enneandra: 9-stamened

Perennial aquatic herb, up to 1 m tall. Rhizome tuberous, ovoid to globose, up to 2 cm in diameter; roots somewhat fleshy. Leaves submerged or partly emergent with a flattened petiole up to 50 cm long, rarely longer. Lamina linear to more or less narrowly lanceolate, 10-25 cm long, with 3-7 veins from the base. Inflorescences 1-3 on an erect peduncle up to 85 cm long, unisexual on different plants. Male inflorescences up to 40 cm long; female inflorescences up to 15 cm long. Flowers small, whitish, sometimes tinged violet; petals minute or absent in female flowers. Fruit with mostly c. 12 obovoid compressed carpels.

Widespread in tropical Africa