Chinese arrowhead

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Chinese arrowhead
• swamp-potato
• swan-potato
• threeleaf arrowhead

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Sagittaria sagittifolia f. longiloba
• Sagittaria sagittifolia var. sinensis
• Sagittaria trifolia var. alismifolia
• Sagittaria sagittifolia f. coerulea
• Sagittaria trifolia f. longiloba
• Sagittaria trifolia var. angustifolia
• Sagittaria sagittifolia f. subaequiloba
• Sagittaria trifolia f. tenuissima
• Sagittaria sagittifolia var. alismifolia
• Sagittaria trifolia f. heterophylla
• Sagittaria trifolia f. subhastata
• Sagittaria sagittata
• Sagittaria trifolia f. suitensis
• Sagittaria trifolia f. albida
• Sagittaria sinensis
• Sagittaria trifolia f. caerulea
• Sagittaria trifolia subsp. leucopetala
• Sagittaria sagittifolia var. longiloba
• Sagittaria sagittifolia var. edulis
• Sagittaria trifolia subsp. edulis
• Sagittaria trifolia var. edulis
• Sagittaria trifolia var. longiloba
• Sagittaria sagittifolia f. sinensis
• Sagittaria trifolia var. retusa
• Sagittaria trifolia var. sinensis
• Sagittaria leucopetala
• Sagittaria trifolia var. leucopetala
• Sagittaria japonica
• Sagittaria hirundinacea
• Sagittaria sagittifolia var. diversifolia
• Sagittaria sagittifolia var. leucopetala
• Sagittaria chinensis
• Sagittaria sagittifolia subsp. leucopetala
• Sagittaria doniana

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified under the phylum Streptophyta and class Equisetopsida. Within the subclass Magnoliidae, it is organized under the order Alismatales and the family Alismataceae. Ultimately, it is identified by its genus, Sagittaria.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a wide geographical distribution across several key regions of Eastern Europe and Siberia. In the territory of Eastern Europe, it can be found throughout Ukraine and South European Russia. Moving into the Siberian region, its presence is well-documented across multiple territories. Specifically, it inhabits the areas of Buryatiya, Chitа, and Krasnoyarsk. Together, these locations highlight the broad ecological range of Sagittaria trifolia.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Sagittaria trifolia is defined by its preference for aquatic and semi-aquatic environments, specifically thriving within habitats such as lakes, rivers, and shores. This species demonstrates a broad vertical distribution across various landscapes, with an elevational range that spans from a minimum of 530 m AMSL to a maximum of 2100 m AMSL. While it can ascend to high-altitude locations, its presence is characterized by a mean elevation of approximately 500 m AMSL, indicating that it most frequently populates lowland water bodies and riparian zones.

Elevational range max:

2100 m AMSL

Elevational range mean:

500 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

530 m AMSL

Habitat :

lakes, rivers, shores

Life history

The life history of Sagittaria trifolia is characterized by a perennial lifecycle, allowing the plant to persist through multiple growing seasons by utilizing stored energy reserves. It functions as a helophyte, a life form that typically grows in aquatic or semi-aquatic environments, emerging from the water or mud to extend its foliage above the surface during the growing period. Additionally, its classification as a cryptophyte indicates that its vital regenerative organs are protected underground, often within tubers or rhizomes, which ensures survival during unfavorable environmental conditions or seasonal shifts.

Life form :

helophyte

Life form :

cryptophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Sagittaria trifolia is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb, typically reaching a mean plant height of approximately 1 meter. As an independent organism, it does not function as a parasite and maintains a terrestrial habit, though it is specifically adapted to aquatic or semiaquatic environments. The plant is self-supporting in its structure, lacking any climbing or vining tendencies, and possesses a non-woody constitution consistent with its herbaceous nature.

Aquatic :

aquatic

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height mean:

1 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Sagittaria trifolia is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, a common metabolic strategy among many aquatic and semi-aquatic angiosperms that utilizes the Calvin cycle to fix carbon dioxide. In terms of nutrient acquisition, the plant does not function as a nitrogen fixer, relying instead on the uptake of available nitrogenous compounds from its surrounding substrate or water column through its root system.

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Sagittaria trifolia is characterized by a biotic pollination syndrome, relying on living organisms rather than purely abiotic factors to facilitate the transfer of pollen. This reproductive strategy is primarily driven by insect pollination, where various insect species serve as the essential vectors for genetic exchange. Within this biotic framework, the plant engages with a diverse range of pollinators, specifically utilizing insects to ensure successful fertilization. This reliance on insect-mediated movement highlights the plant's evolutionary adaptation to its aquatic or semi-aquatic environment, where specialized biological interactions are necessary to achieve reproductive success.

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Sagittaria trifolia has 8 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include CALCIUM, Flavonoids, Glycosides, MAGNESIUM, Phenols.

CALCIUM

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Flavonoids

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Glycosides

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

MAGNESIUM

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Phenols

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Saponins

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Steroids

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Tannins

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Preparations