This monotypic genus is widespread in humid regions of temperate to tropical North America, and elsewhere in the World, except Europe. It occurs in "oligotrophic or mesotrophic ponds [especially Ky.], lakes and sluggish streams" (FNA 3); water is usually 0.5-1.5 m deep. Plants, which have unusual polysaccharide mucilage on lower leaf surfaces, are cultivated for human nutrition in E. Asia (Kim et al. 2011), but there appears to be little or no tradition of such uses in North America. Unlike other water-lilies, Brasenia plants (and other Cambombaceae) do not contain alkaloids.