Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center


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Northeast Wetland Flora

Field Office Guide to Plant Species

Kidney-leaf Mud-plantain
Heteranthera reniformis Ruiz & Pavon

JPG -- Species Photo JPG -- Distribution Map

Family: Pickerelweed (Pontederiaceae)
Flowering: August-October
Field Marks: This species is distinguished by its heart-shaped leaves and its 3-parted flowers borne within a sheathing spathe.
Habitat: Shallow water, muddy shores.
Habit: Creeping or floating perennial herb with thickened fibrous roots and slender rhizomes.
Stems: Spreading to upright, smooth.
Leaves: Alternate, simple, heart-shaped, rounded at the tip, smooth, on stalks up to 4 inches long.
Flowers: 1-few in a spathe near the base of the plant.
Sepals: 3, united with the petals to form a tube up to 1/3 inch long, white or pale blue.
Petals: 3, united with the sepals to form a tube up to 1/3 inch long, white or pale blue.
Stamens: 3, borne on the tube of the flowers.
Pistils: Ovary superior, smooth.
Fruits: Capsules ovoid, smooth, containing many seeds.

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U.S. Department of the Interior | U.S. Geological Survey
URL: http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/plants/florane/species/4/hetereni.htm
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Page Last Modified: Saturday, 02-Feb-2013 06:14:32 EST
Reston, VA [vaww55]