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Western Wetland Flora

Field Office Guide to Plant Species

Broad-leaf Arrow-head
Sagittaria latifolia Willd.

JPG -- Species Photo JPG -- Distribution Map

Family: Water Plantain (Alismataceae)
Flowering: June-September
Field Marks: The leaves are usually very broad and arrowhead-shaped. This one differs from other broad-leaved species of arrowhead by its achene with a horizontal beak and the boat-shaped bracts that are either pointed or round-tipped, but not t
Habitat: Wet ditches, edges of lakes and ponds, often in shallow water.
Habit: Perennial herb with rhizomes.
Stems: The only stems are the rhizomes that are below the surface of the ground in terrestrial forms.
Leaves: Variable, but most of them arrowhead-shaped, up to 18 inches long, the basal triangular lobes either longer or shorter than the terminal lobe, smooth; leaf stalks angular, not round.
Flowers: Male and female flowers usually borne separately but on the same plant, the uppermost flowers usually male, the lowermost flowers usually female, each flower subtended by boat-shaped, pointed or round-tipped bracts up to 3/4 inch long.
Sepals: 3, free from each other, green, up to 1/2 inch long, eventually pointing downward.
Petals: 3, free from each other, white, up to 1 inch long.
Stamens: Numerous.
Pistils: Ovaries superior, numerous, very crowded.
Fruits: Many achenes crowded into a rounded head, the head up to 1 1/2 inches long, the achenes obovoid, up to 1/5 inch long, winged, with a horizontal beak.
Notes: The achenes are eaten by waterfowl.

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U.S. Department of the Interior | U.S. Geological Survey
URL: http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/plants/florawe/species/4/sagilati.htm
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Page Last Modified: Saturday, 02-Feb-2013 06:25:32 EST
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