ORDINAL PLACEMENT OF THE FONTINALACEAE

The relationships of the Fontinalaceae have been difficult to discern because of the extreme morphological modifications to an aquatic habit at undergone by the plants. The family is shown to possess creeping pr imary stems with reduced leaves that turn ca. 90 degrees from the subs trate to form the leafy secondary stems. A creeping stem is continued from an adventitious bud near the base of the secondary stem. This typ e of branching is indicative of a relationship within the Leucodontale s. Stem anatomy of the three genera and paraphyllia in Brachelyma indi cate a relationship to the Climaciaceae.