Alismatales

Alismatales, arrowhead and pondweed order of flowering plants, belonging to the monocotyledon (monocot) group, whose species have a single seed leaf. Most of the some 4,500 species are aquatic and grow submersed or partially exposed to the air in marshes and other freshwater and marine habitats, where they are treated as weeds that hinder irrigation and navigation. Although of little economic importance, these herbaceous (nonwoody) plants provide important habitats for fish and help stabilize shorelines. In particular, by forming complex communities with other aquatic and emergent stream-bank plants, they bring about vegetational succession: a pond may fill up with plant parts and silt to become a biological landfill, which eventually supports land plants. Several species commonly are used as ornamental aquarium plants.