hydrophilous

Hydrophilous (from hydro- “water” + philos “loving”) is an adjective used in biology and botany to describe organisms that inhabit or require water, and specifically to describe pollination mechanisms in which water acts as the medium for pollen transfer. Hydrophily is the process by which pollen is dispersed through water, enabling fertilization without reliance on animal or wind pollinators.

Hydrophilous plants are typically aquatic or semi-aquatic; their reproductive structures may be at or near the water surface, and their pollen grains are adapted to travel in water—often buoyant and sometimes mucilaginous.

In aquatic environments, hydrophily is relatively rare compared with other pollination methods, and it has evolved in a limited number of plant groups. Notable examples include submerged or floating-leaved plants in families such as Potamogetonaceae and Hydrocharitaceae (including genera like Potamogeton and Vallisneria, and Hydrilla). In these plants, pollen may be released underwater and carried by currents to stigmas, or released at the water’s surface and carried by surface films.

Beyond reproduction, the term hydrophilous is sometimes used more broadly to describe organisms that live in water or have strong ecological associations with aquatic habitats, including many aquatic invertebrates and vertebrates. The term is generally used in scientific descriptions and remains less common in everyday language.