Chondromala or Crested floating-heart, Nymphoides cristatum

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Chondromala, Kumudini or Crested floating-heart (Nymphoides cristatum, family: Menyanthaceae) is an aquatic flowering plant with long branches. The branches of the floating herb reach the surface of the water. Roots grow from nodes.

Other names: Pan shiuli, Pan-shimli, Chandmala, Panjuli. 


It is a common aquatic plant of Bangladesh and found throughout the country's beel-jheel, canal and pond along with Water spinach, Keshordam (Creeping water primrose), Bladderwort and Alligator weed. It is also found in India, China and some countries of Southeast Asia.

   
Leaves are simple, orbicular, deeply cordate, purplish at the edge, veins are green and spread like nets.


The sepals is not adjacent to the petals, almost divided. Flowers are white with yellow centre, petals 5, adjacent, glabrous. Each lobe has a crest down the middle of each lobe.


Fruit is a capsule, broadly ovoid, subglobose. Seeds 10-20, pale yellowish brown. 

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