Philydraceae Link

Erect, perennial, rhizomatous or cormous herbs with solitary acicular crystals of calcium oxalate widespread in tissues. Leaves sessile, mostly basal, sheathing, the lower distichous, the upper smaller and spirally arranged, parallel-veined; margins entire. Flowers bisexual, sessile in a simple or paniculately branched inflorescence, bracteolate, zygomorphic. Perianth of 4 petaloid segments in 2 whorls; 2 outer 'tepals' large, adaxial and abaxial respectively; 2 inner 'tepals' smaller, lateral. Androecium of 1 stamen, opposite lower (abaxial) tepal; filament strongly flattened, glabrous, free or basally adnate to tepal(s); anther dorsifixed, bilocular, straight or hooked or cochleate, opening by longitudinal slits; pollen grains usually trisulcate, free or in tetrads. Gynoecium superior, tricarpellate, unilocular with intrusive parietal placentation, or trilocular with axile placentation; style simple, terminal, persistent in fruit; stigma capitate or bluntly trilobed, papillose; ovules numerous, anatropous. Fruit a loculicidal capsule, or indehiscent. Seeds small, numerous; embryo straight, embedded in fleshy endosperm.