Genus of the Week
Week of July 6-12
This page has been created for people who want to learn more about plants, especially in the context of their taxonomy (Latin names, etc.). This is by no means an exhaustive list of all available Web resources on a particular genus.
Visit the Land of the Glandular Trichomes,
a microscopic look at plants in the Lamiaceae family.
This week's genus:
(After which one genus from each Superorder (according to Cronquist) will have been selected):
Sagittaria
Subclass: Monocotyledoneae
Superorder: Alismatidae
Order: Alismatales
Family: Alismataceae
Number of Species: at least 20
Root: named after Sagittarius, the famed archer and centaur.
Plants in the genus Sagittaria often have the common name of Arrowleaf, in obvious reference
to the shape of the leaves. Several species with lance or ribbon shaped leaves also occur. The
roots of these aquatic plants are tubers, and have been used for centuries as a food source in
the Americas and Asia. Several species in this genus are now rare or endangered, while others
are more common and grown as ornamentals.
Here are a few links to images and descriptions of different Sagittaria species:
- The Tropica Aquarium Plants company of Denmark has a very informative web site about caring
for your very own aquatic species. They have photos and growing tips for two species of
Sagittaria: S. platyphyla and
S. subulata.
- Visit the University of Hiroshima for a glimpse at a flowering specimen of
S. trifolia.
- The Center for Aquatic Plants at the University of Florida has "Aquatic Plant Identification
Cards" with descriptions and images of dozens of species. Check out
S. kurziana (Strap-leaf
Sagittaria) and S. lancifolia
(Duck Potato).
- Also at the University of Florida: line drawings, available for purchase, of the following
species:
- The Vascular Plant Image Gallery at Texas A&M University has several
photos of Sagittaria species, including close-ups of the flowers.
- The Singapore Science Center has devoted part of its web site to commonly eaten vegetables
of the region, including
S. sagittifolia.
- The University of California at Davis has information about two species of Sagittaria,
S. montevidensis (California Arrowhead) and S. longiloba (Gregg Arrowhead), that are considered pesky weeds in California rice stands.
- Dr Samuel C. Palmer, a former professor of biology at Swarthmore College, has painted dozens
of botanical watercolors, including one of S. longirostra and one of S. latifolia.
- The Flowering Plant Family Access Pages at The University of Hawaii have a page devoted to
the Alismataceae. Scroll down for a look at
S. cuneata, a species with monoecious flowers.
References:
- Heywood, V.H., ed. Flowering Plants of the World. New York, Oxford University Press: 1993.
- Neiring, William A. and Nancy C. Olmstead., eds. The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Wildflowers, Eastern Region. Alfred A. Knopf, New York: 1979.
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