As you head outside to enjoy the last warm days of autumn, arrowheads (Sagittaria) may be one of the plants you find. There are 6 species of Sagittaria documented in Minnesota and it’s helpful to have photos of leaves, flowers and/or fruits to distinguish them.
Keep an eye out for this rare species:
Hooded arrowhead (Sagittaria calycina var. calycina) is a Threatened Species in Minnesota. It has been found in mucky river and lake floodplains and with low water levels, this is a great year to search for it.
Leaves range from egg shaped to arrow-shaped and may look similar to other Sagittaria species. Several species may grow together at the same site and flowers and fruits can help distinguish species. Look for these features:
If you think you’ve found this species, note that iNaturalist uses this synonym: Sagittaria montevidensis ssp. calycina
For more information on how to identify this plant, see these websites:
MN DNR Rare Species Guide:
https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/rsg/profile.html?action=elementDetail&selectedElement=PMALI04040
Minnesota Wildflowers website:
https://www.minnesotawildflowers.info/flower/hooded-arrowhead
Please message mndnr-aquatic-plants if you have any questions about this species.
Kommentit
I was studying Sagittaria species in preparation for next summer. I found in iNaturalist that that there are 18 observations on S. gramineum. According to a number of references, we don't have this species in this State. Is that true? Could they be Alisma species instead.
Thanks for the question and your review of these observations. I will try to review them also in the next few weeks. In general, if Sagittaria is not in flower or fruit, I think it's appropriate to leave it at the genus level id. Instead, I think many observers assume that narrow-leaved plants are S. gramineum. I'll need to look at individual photos to see if I think I can determine Alisma from Sagittaria.
Donna Perleberg
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