Algae and Plants
75
Sagittaria latifolia (Willd.)
Order: Alismatales
Family: Alismataceae
Common name: Duck potato, wapato,
arrowhead.
Distribution: Native to southern Canada, United States, as well as Mexico,
Central America, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, and Cuba; Puerto Rico,
Bhutan, Australia, and much of Europe
(France, Spain, Italy, Romania, Germany, Switzerland, the Czech Republic,
and European Russia).
Habitat: Swampy  areas; emergent
marshes, ponds, lakes, sloughs, lagoons,
and wet areas.
Description: It is a vigorous, deciduous, marginal aquatic perennial that
typically grows 10 m tall. Each plant
produces a rosette of leaves and an
inflorescence on a long rigid scape.
Immersed leaves (to 30 cm long) are
typically broadly sagittate (arrowhead shaped). Submerged leaves are
often much narrower (linear to ovate).
Inflorescence is a raceme composed
of large flowers whorled by threes.
Usually divided into female flowers on
the lower part and male on the upper,
although dioecious individuals are also
found. Three round, white petals and
three very short curved, dark green
sepals. Young unfurling leaves and
stalk and white or bluish tubers of this
species are edible.
Nutritional Facts
Proximate Composition (% DM)
Ash
Fat
Protein
4.23
16.62
42.8
Amino Acids (% DM)
Arginine
2.14
Histidine
1.14
Isoleucine
1.46
Leucine
1.87
Methionine
0.56
Phenylalanine
T
Threonine
1.57
Valine
1.80
T, trace.
Source: Data from Boyd (1968b).