Hydrophyllum is a genus of flowering plants in the waterleaf family

Hydrophyllaceae

Hydrophylloideae is a subfamily of the Boraginaceae family of flowering plants. Their taxonomic position is somewhat uncertain. Traditionally, and under the Cronquist system, they were given family rank under the name Hydrophyllaceae, and treated as part of the order Solanales...

 which includes several herbaceous perennials native to North America. They include Hydrophyllum capitatum

Hydrophyllum capitatum

Hydrophyllum capitatum Douglas ex Benth., is a species of waterleaf known by the common name Ballhead Waterleaf. It is a member of the Hydrophyllaceae family, which is also home to the Whispering Bells , Baby Blue Eyes , and Scorpionweed...

, the dwarf waterleaf or ballhead waterleaf. Its head is made of a series of five-petaled, five-stamened purple flower

Flower

A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants . The biological function of a flower is to effect reproduction, usually by providing a mechanism for the union of sperm with eggs...

s. It was used as a nutritious food source by Native American peoples.

Species

• Hydrophyllum appendiculatum Michx. -- Great Waterleaf
• Hydrophyllum brownei Kral & Bates -- Brown's Waterleaf
• Hydrophyllum canadense L. -- Blunt-leaf Waterleaf, Bluntleaf Waterleaf
• Hydrophyllum capitatum
  Hydrophyllum capitatum
  Hydrophyllum capitatum Douglas ex Benth., is a species of waterleaf known by the common name Ballhead Waterleaf. It is a member of the Hydrophyllaceae family, which is also home to the Whispering Bells , Baby Blue Eyes , and Scorpionweed...
  
  Dougl. ex Benth. -- Ballhead Waterleaf
• Hydrophyllum fendleri (Gray) Heller -- Fendler's Waterleaf
• Hydrophyllum macrophyllum Nutt. -- Largeleaf Waterleaf
• Hydrophyllum occidentale
  Hydrophyllum occidentale
  Hydrophyllum occidentale is a species of flowering plant in the waterleaf family known by the common name western waterleaf.-Distribution:...
  
  (S. Wats.) Gray -- Western Waterleaf
• Hydrophyllum tenuipes
  Hydrophyllum tenuipes
  Hydrophyllum tenuipes is an herbaceous perennial plant native to western North America from British Columbia to northern California....
  
  Heller -- Pacific Waterleaf
• Hydrophyllum virginianum
  Hydrophyllum virginianum
  The Virginia Waterleaf is an herbaceous perennial plant native to Eastern North America. The plant generally spreads by rhizomes to form large colonies in wooded areas. It can also spread by seeds. The seedling usually appear early to mid-spring. Flowers are blue, white, or purple, appearing in...
  
  L. -- Shawnee Salad, Shawnee-salad