''Sagittaria fasciculata'', the bunched arrowhead (also known as duck potato, Indian potato, or wapato) is a plant found in a small number of

wetland A wetland is a distinct semi-aquatic ecosystem whose groundcovers are flooded or saturated in water, either permanently, for years or decades, or only seasonally. Flooding results in oxygen-poor ( anoxic) processes taking place, especially ...

s in the Southeast United States.

Description

''Sagittaria fasciculata'' is a

perennial In horticulture, the term perennial ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the year") is used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. It has thus been defined as a plant that lives more than 2 years. The term is also ...

herb up to tall. Submerged

leaves A leaf (: leaves) is a principal appendage of the stem of a vascular plant, usually borne laterally above ground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", while the leaves, stem, ...

are long and narrow, round in cross-section. Emerging leaves are flat, broadly ovate or lanceolate.Flora of North America v 22, ''Sagittaria fasciculata''
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Distribution and habitat

''S. fasciculata'' is only known to be found in Henderson and Buncombe Counties in

North Carolina North Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, South Carolina to the south, Georgia (U.S. stat ...

plus Greenville and Laurens Counties in

South Carolina South Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders North Carolina to the north and northeast, the Atlantic Ocean to the southeast, and Georgia (U.S. state), Georg ...

. It is found in seepage areas with little to no flow. It prefers shaded areas on sandy loams.

Conservation

It was considered

endangered An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching, inv ...

in the federal register of July 25, 1979.

Uses

This plant produces

edible An edible item is any item that is safe for humans to eat. "Edible" is differentiated from " eatable" because it does not indicate how an item tastes, only whether it is fit to be eaten. Nonpoisonous items found in nature – such as some mushroo ...

tuber Tubers are a type of enlarged structure that plants use as storage organs for nutrients, derived from stems or roots. Tubers help plants perennate (survive winter or dry months), provide energy and nutrients, and are a means of asexual reproduc ...

s that were heavily collected by Native Americans as a food source.Buchanan, M.F. and J.T. Finnegan. 2010. Natural Heritage Program List of the Rare Plant Species of North Carolina. N.C. Natural Heritage Program, Raleigh, NC.

References

External links

Center for Plant Conservation National Collection Plant Profile, ''Sagittaria fasciculata''
{{Taxonbar, from=Q7399296 fasciculata Endangered plants Flora of South Carolina Flora of North Carolina Freshwater plants Edible plants Plants described in 1960