Botanical Family · Alismatales

Alismataceae

Water-Plantain Or Arrowhead Family

5 speciesOrder Alismatales3+ well-known plants

The Alismataceae family (Water-Plantain Or Arrowhead Family) is a botanical family placed in the order Alismatales. In the SASYA catalogue it spans 5 species across 4 genera. Its members are predominantly herbs. Well-represented genera include Sagittaria, Caldesia and Limnophyton. Several members are valued in traditional medicine. Familiar examples include Arrow Head and Chinese Arrowhead.

Browse all 5 species ↓

Representative specimen · Alismataceae

Key pattern

Arrow- or heart-shaped leaves on aquatic and marsh herbs, held above the water on long stalks arising from a basal rosette; three-petalled white flowers with numerous separate stamens and carpels ripen into a cluster of dry achenes.

Many species keep their leaves and flowers held above water while roots anchor in submerged mud — an adaptation shared with unrelated aquatic families through convergent evolution, not common ancestry.

Identify the species

Which Alismataceae species is this?

Answer what you can see and narrow it down to a single Alismataceae species.

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Leaf ShapeWhat is the overall shape of the leaf blade?

Linear

Linear (long and narrow, parallel sides)

Ovate (egg-shaped, broad at base)

Sagittate (arrowhead-shaped)

Family identification method

To check whether a plant belongs to Alismataceae, compare the leaf arrangement, leaf type, flower symmetry, fruit type, and one distinctive marker together. A single feature can mislead; the family pattern is the combination.

Learn the full family-identification method

Typical flower & fruit

Flower symmetryVariable
InflorescenceUmbel
FruitNut

Typical of the family — flowering plants only; species can vary.

Notable members

Arrow HeadLimnophyton obtusifoliumArrowheadSagittaria sagittifoliaChinese ArrowheadSagittaria trifolia

Families that can look similar

Araceae

Compare against Araceae when the plant shares similar leaves, flowers, or fruit. Confirm by checking the full family pattern.

Compare Araceae

Aponogetonaceae

Compare against Aponogetonaceae when the plant shares similar leaves, flowers, or fruit. Confirm by checking the full family pattern.

Compare Aponogetonaceae

Hydrocharitaceae

Compare against Hydrocharitaceae when the plant shares similar leaves, flowers, or fruit. Confirm by checking the full family pattern.

Compare Hydrocharitaceae

Lemnaceae

Compare against Lemnaceae when the plant shares similar leaves, flowers, or fruit. Confirm by checking the full family pattern.

Compare Lemnaceae

All 5 species in ALISMATACEAE

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