ALISMACE^E 



ALISMACE^) WATER-PLANTAIN FAMILY 



Sagittaria latifolia, ( Willd. ) forma obtusa, ( M uhl . ) Robinson . 

 White Arrow-head. 



August 



Sagittaria: for derivation see Engelmanniana. 

 Latifolia: from Latin for broad-leaved. 

 Obtusa: from Latin for blunt. 



THE PREFERRED HABITAT: wet bogs. 



THE PLANT: erect, four inches to four feet tall; the flower- 

 stalk simple or branched, stout or slender, with few or no 

 hairs, angled. 



THE LEAVES: very variable in form and size, sometimes 

 four inches broad at the stem end and as much as five 

 inches long from stem to apex, sometimes broader than 

 long; generally linear-lanceolate, always arrow-shaped; 

 lacking hairs on either surface; acuminate or obtuse at 

 the apex; petioled; prominently and parallel- veined ; the 

 bracts acute, acuminate or obtuse, the upper ones some- 

 times united. 



THE FLOWERS : slightly over one inch wide, on slender and 

 hairless stems; three petals, which fall early; six stamens. 



The Sagittarias are handsome plants in boggy ground. 

 Above the lustrous green leaves, beautifully arrow-shaped, 

 gleam the large pure white flowers with their yellow 

 centres. 



One other member of the Water-Plantain Family has 

 been reported. 



12 



