Nymphoides, or floatingheart, is a genus of aquatic flowering plants in the family Menyanthaceae. The genus name refers to their resemblance to the water lily Nymphaea. Nymphoides are aquatic plants with submerged roots and floating leaves that hold the small flowers above the water surface. Flowers are sympetalous, most often divided into five lobes (petals). The petals are either yellow or white, and may be adorned with lateral wings or covered in small hairs. The inflorescence consists of either an umbellate cluster of flowers or a lax raceme, with internodes occurring between generally paired flowers. Species of Nymphoides are sold as aquarium plants, including the "banana plant", N. aquatica and the "water snowflake", N. indica. Species native to the United States are N. cordata in the northeast and N. aquatica in the southeast. Nymphoides peltata is native to Europe and Asia, but can be found in the United States as an invasive aquatic weed. The non-native species N. cristata and N. indica also reportedly occur in Florida (Jacono 2000). Nymphoides hydrophylla slim stem (spear) are used as vegetable at Meinong District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Numerous species of Nymphoides grow in Australia, and others exist in Africa, America, and Asia. Species There are approximately 50 species of Nymphoides, including: Pantropical: Nymphoides indica (L.) Kuntze Africa: Nymphoides bosseri A.Raynal Nymphoides brevipedicellata (Vatke) A.Raynal Nymphoides elegans A.Raynal Nymphoides ezannoi Berhaut Nymphoides forbesiana (Griseb.) Kuntze Nymphoides guineensis A.Raynal Nymphoides humilis A.Raynal Nymphoides milnei A.Raynal Nymphoides moratiana A.Raynal Nymphoides rautaneni (N.E.Br.) A.Raynal Nymphoides tenuissima A.Raynal Nymphoides thunbergiana (Griseb.) Kuntze North America: Nymphoides aquatica (J.F.Gmel.) Kuntze Nymphoides cordata (Elliott) Fernald Central and South America: Nymphoides fallax Ornduff Nymphoides flaccida L.Sm. Nymphoides grayana (Griseb.) Kuntze Nymphoides herzogii A.Galàn-Mera & G.Navarro Nymphoides humboldtiana (Kunth) Kuntze Nymphoides microphylla (A.St.-Hil.) Kuntze Nymphoides verrucosa (R.E.Fries)A.Galàn-Mera & G.Navarro Eurasia: Nymphoides peltata (S.G.Gmel.) Kuntze Asia: Nymphoides balakrishnanii P.Biju, Josekutty, Haneef & Augustine Nymphoides coreana (Léveille) Hara Nymphoides hastata (Dop) Kerr Nymphoides hydrophylla (Lour.) Kuntze Nymphoides krishnakesara K.T.Joseph & Sivar. Nymphoides lungtanensis S.P.Li, T.H.Hsieh & C.C.Lin Nymphoides macrospermum Vasudevan Nymphoides siamensis (Ostenf.) Kerr Nymphoides sivarajanii K.T.Joseph Nymphoides tonkinensis (Dop) P.H.Ho Asia and Australia: Nymphoides aurantiaca (Dalzell) Kuntze Nymphoides parvifolia (Wall.) Kuntze Australia: Nymphoides beaglensis Aston Nymphoides crenata (F.Muell.) Kuntze Nymphoides disperma Aston Nymphoides elliptica Aston Nymphoides exigua (F.Muell.) Kuntze Nymphoides exiliflora (F.Muell.) Kuntze Nymphoides furculifolia Specht Nymphoides geminata (R.Br.) Kuntze Nymphoides hydrocharioides (F.Muell.) Kuntze Nymphoides montana Aston Nymphoides planosperma Aston Nymphoides quadriloba Aston Nymphoides simulans