Broadleaf arrowhead - Sagittaria latifolia

Common Name :	Duck-potato, Broadleaf arrowhead, Wapato.
Botanical Name :	Sagittaria latifolia
Family :	Alismataceae
Bengali Name :	Dal kochu.
Photo Taken :	Bangladesh

Sagittaria latifolia is an aquatic plant that is native to American region. This is commonly known as Broadleaf arrowhead, Duck-potato, Indian potato, Wapato, etc. This belongs to the plant family Alismataceae. Not sure what it is known as in Bangladesh. In book Plants of India (page 78) similar plant is mentioned as Dal kochu or Dol kochu. It is believed that the plant later spread around the world by the colonial people.

Broadleaf arrowhead (Sagittaria latifolia) is a perennial plant that grows in shallow wetlands. Glossy green leafs are mainly heart shaped (although varies in shape) with very long petiole. Petioles are spongy sometimes. This plant grows as a colony. Produces bulbs or tubers (size of a golf ball) from the root (which are edible and used by the native Americans in ancient time).

Flowers of Broadleaf arrowhead (Sagittaria latifolia) are small white in color and blooms in a small cluster. Flowers are having three white crappy petals with yellow reproduction system at the center. Flowers are having long stalk. In some countries this plant is now being used as an aquatic ornamental plant for its lovely foliage.

The tubers and the bulb/root of the plant is full with starch. In past, native American people used to eat that as raw or cooked (there it was known as wapato). Probably that is the reason to call the plant as Indian potato. And also probably as duck potato as it grows in wild.

Photos of Broadleaf arrowhead (Sagittaria latifolia) were taken from the following location of Bangladesh.
1. January 2015: Jhalkathi.


This article has written by Lonely Traveler,
for the blog http://icflora.blogspot.com/