Minnesota Wildflowers


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Alisma triviale (Northern Water Plantain)

Plant Info
Also known as: Large-flowered Water Plantain
Genus:Alisma
Family:Alismataceae (Water Plantain)
Life cycle:perennial
Origin:native
Habitat:sun; bogs, swamps, shallow mucky water, along shores
Bloom season:June - September
Plant height:6 to 40 inches
County distribution (click map to enlarge):Minnesota county distribution map
Spotted in Ramsey County at:

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Detailed Information

Flower: 3-petals panicle

[photo of flowers] Flowers are whorled in open clusters on many branches coming off the main stem. Individual flowers are about ¼ inch across, 3 white petals with a spot of yellow at the base, 3 sepals that are much shorter than the petals, and 6 stamens surrounding the yellowish to green center.

Leaves: basal simple

[photo of leaves] Leaves are in a basal rosette, generally oval with a pointed tip, tapering some, rounded or flattened at the base. Leaves are up to 7 inches long and 3 inches wide, hairless, toothless, with mostly parallel veins and a long smooth leaf stalk.

Fruit:

[photo of fruit] Fruit is a ring of seeds less than ¼ inch in diameter that turns from green to brown as it ripens.

Notes:

There are 3 species of Water-plantain in Minnesota, Alisma triviale being the most common. A. subcordatum has smaller flowers with sepals as long as or longer than the petals, but is otherwise nearly identical. A. gramineum has very narrow leaves and is the least common in the state. Water-plantain flowers are also similar to Arrowhead, but Arrowhead flowers are much larger—½ to 1 inch across.

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Map of native plant purveyors in the upper midwest

More photos

Photos taken at Vadnais/Snail Lake Regional Park, Shoreview, MN, June-July 2008 and July-August 2009. Other photos courtesy Peter M. Dziuk taken in Anoka county.

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