Abdul Ghafoor (1972) Elatinaceae in Flora of Wesst PAkistan 19:1-5
Plants annual or perennial herbs or undershrubs, sometimes aquatic or semi-aquatic. Leaves opposite or verticillate, simple, stipulate, entire or serrate. Inflorescences axillary, of solitary flowers or fasciculate cymes. Flowers small, bisexual, radially symmetric, hypogynous; sepals usually 3-5, rarely 2 or 6, free or basally connate, imbricate; petals usually 3-5, rarely 2 or 6, free, imbricate; stamens as many as or twice as many as the number of petals, in 1-2 whorls, inner whorl alternating with the petals, free; anthers versatile, dithecous, dehiscencing longitudinally; carpels 3-5, united; ovaries 3-5 locular, with axile placentation; ovules numerous, in two or more rows on each placenta, anatropous; styles usually 3-5, rarely 2, free. Fruits septicidal or septifragal capsules; seedsand embryos straight or curved, without or with very little endosperm.
The family Elatinaceae includes two genera and about 40 species. Only one genus, Bergia, grows in Pakistan.