ABSTRACT
Wetland angiosperms reproduce both sexually, by the development of seeds that grow into new plants, and asexually, by the growth of clonal structures that separate and become independent plants. For the majority of wetland angiosperms, sexual reproduction is essentially the same as for terrestrial angiosperms. In order to reproduce sexually, wetland flowers depend on one of several pollination mechanisms followed by the effective dispersal and germination of seeds. Sexual reproduction presents a challenge for submerged, floating, and floating-leaved plants because, with few exceptions, the plants must produce an aerial flower in order for pollination to occur. Sexual reproduction brings about new genotypes because it involves the fusion of two genetically unique nuclei.
