Illinois Natural History Survey - University of Illinois

Sagittaria latifolia
Duck potato
Taxonomy

Synonyms:

Subspecific taxa:

Classification:

Other taxonomic & nomenclature sources: USDA PlantsITISThe Plant ListIPNI

Images

   
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Species Distribution
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County Map Legend
Absent:
Not known from county
Medium confidence:
Medium or unknown confidence;
often old records or unverifiable observations
Medium-high confidence:
Often observations by expert botanists
High confidence:
Often vouchered herbarium records
Planted / introduced:
Native species introduced outside historic range,
or only in planted locations within county (e.g., restorations)
Historic / extirpated:
Only historic records for the species; likely extirpated
(Note that this category is not yet functional)

North American distribution maps for this species: FLNAUSDA PlantsBONAPBISON

Collections, Observations & Flowering by Month [?]

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Collections & Observations by Decade [?]

Species Status

Status/Listing: No Information

Notes:

Origin: Native

Species Description

General: Monocot, perennial

Roots: adventitious, rhizomes, tubers

Shoots: basal leaf arrangment; simple leaf type; entire leaf margin; Parallel leaf venation; sagittate, hastate leaf shape

Inflorescence: raceme, other

Flowers: unisexual, monoecious, dioecious; 3 merous; complete, regular; white; hypogynous ovary position

Fruit: achene

Physiology: autotrophic; C3 C02 fixation

Reproduction: sexual

Ecology & Natural History

Habitat: Almost any inland water except with strong lime, alkali, or salts; rich soils of damp lowlands, mud flats, and water up to 1 1/2 ft. deep. A common and characteristic plant of the muddy, marshy edges of ponds and streams. Somewhat aggressive, forming solid stands in artificial waterways; tolerates polluted waters.

ILPIN Notes: 11 Form tubers- planted at 1' intervals. Marshbirds and shorebirds- food - seeds. Good food source for aquatic furbearers. NA Plants usually monoecious, with staminte flowers above, pistillate ones below. Large starchy tubers edible after baking or boiling for about 1/2 hour- "wappeto" of natural Americans; related species cultivated in China.

Functional Relationships:

  • Pollinators:
  • Dispersal:
  • Mycorrhizae:
  • N2 fixation:

Human Relationships:

  • Edibility [?] :
  • Showy Flowers:

Wildlife and Livestock Information:

  • Food Value: waterfowl: good; aquatic species: good
  • Cover Value:

Coefficient of Conservatism (C-value) [?] :

  • Entire State: 4
  • Chicago Area: 4

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