A N F Keys
ALISMATACEAE
WATER-PLANTAIN
FAMILY
1 Blades conspicuously arrow-shaped with backward-pointing basal lobes; flowers unisexual, with a whorl of pistillate flowers at the lowest nodes and whorls of staminate flowers at other nodes .. Sagittaria latifolia
1' Blades lacking basal lobes; flowers only bisexual
2 Blades heart-shaped (ovate), cordate at base, all principal veins diverging from base of blade; petioles channeled and narrowly winged; inflorescence with or without short branches < internode on main axis; flowers 10−12 mm across; petals (2.5−)5−7(−8) mm; stamens 12(15) in several whorls; fruits a subspheroid cluster of beaked achenes .. Echinodorus berteroi [pics]
2' Blades lanceolate to elliptic or ovate, truncate to rounded at base, intermost pair of principal lateral veins arising from midvein somewhat above base of blade; petioles U-shaped becoming hemi-cylindric approaching blade; lateral branches evident, wiry, and widespreading, greatly > internode on main axis; flowers ca. 7 mm across; petals 3−4 mm wide; stamens 6 in 3 pairs; fruits a whorl of beakless achenes .. Alisma triviale [pics]
The text of the above keys used with permission from
A Naturalist's Flora of the Santa Monica Mountains and Simi Hills, California
© Copyright
Barry A. Prigge and Arthur C. Gibson
2013