241 Malayan Nature Journal 2010, 62(3), 241-248 Cabombaceae, a new family record for Peninsular Malaysia M.Y. SITI-MUNIRAH¹ and M.Y. CHEW Although the aquatic plants, Cabomba aquatica Aubl. and C. furcata Schultes & Schultes f. (Cabombaceae), are now well-established in Peninsular Malaysia, they have not formally been recognized as a family new to the flora of Peninsular Malaysia. Cabomba furcata is more widespread and is already a serious alien water weed in Tasik Chini, Pahang, where local people call it ekor kucing. Cabomba aquatica is not so widespread. Both species are potentially invasive and threaten the ecology of open, slow-flowing water bodies. Keywords. Cabomba aquatica, C. furcata, noxious water weeds. INTRODUCTION During a recent botanical survey of the Sedili Kechil area, Johor, a water plant with submerged, reddish, feathery fan-leaves and pretty pink-purple flowers like miniature waterlilies was encountered growing in shallow, slow-flowing water. It grew in full sun, as well as in deeply shaded areas, and formed large masses over extensive areas. It proved to be Cabomba furcata Schultes & Schultes f. (Fig. 2), Cabombaceae, the forked fanwort or pink Cabomba. It is native in tropical and subtropical South America and the West Indies. It is surprising that this family has not previously been reported in the taxonomic literature as naturalized in Peninsular Malaysia because it is so well-established in Tasik Chini that it has seriously impacted the tourist value of the lake and has been given a local name, ekor kuching (cat’s tail). A second species, C. aquatica Aubl. (Fig. 1), is also naturalized but is less common. Neither has been reported as naturalized in other countries in SE Asia or Malesia. Ørgaard (1991) reported C. caroliniana A.Gray from ‘Malaysia’, but this is an error for Malesia because the record is from Papua New Guinea. The Cabombaceae are aquatic plants grouped into two genera: Brasenia with a single species, B. schreberi J.Gmelin that is widespread from tropical America, Africa, India, temperate E Asia and Australia; and Cabomba with five species from South America, southern North America and the West Indies (Mabberley, 2008). The family is closely related to the waterlilies, Nymphaeaceae, with which 1 Forest Research Institute Malaysia, 52109 Kepong, Selangor, Malaysia. sitimunirah@frim.gov .my Manuscript received: 5 Jan 2010 Manuscript accepted: 10 Feb 2010.