American Waterplantain, Northern Water-plantain
Alisma triviale
Synonyms: Alisma plantago-aquatica, Alisma plantago-aquatica var. americanum, Alisma plantago-aquatica var. plantago-aquatica
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A close-up of the flower of American waterplantain as seen at left.
Note the slightly toothed tips of the petals. Photographed near the mouth of
Sandy River, Columbia River Gorge..........September 8, 2012. The photo at right shows American waterplantain in bloom at a game/stock pond east of Canyon Creek at the Klickitat Wildlife Area......July 2, 2023.
The
photo at right shows a close-up view of the underside of the petals and sepals of American waterplantain as seen along the Old Highway about one mile east of Major Creek in the central Columbia River Gorge........July 7, 2006.
Characteristics:
American waterplantain is a semiaquatic perennial
wildflower with one flower stem arising up to one meter from a cluster of basal
leaves. The leaves are shorter than the flower stem. The blades are ovate to
oblong or oblong-lanceolate and 5-15 cm long and 3-15 cm wide. The leaf bases
are rounded to somewhat heart-shaped. The petioles are 2-4 times longer than
the blades and channeled.
The flower stem is much branched, forming a compound
panicle. The flowers are arranged in whorls of 3 terminal panicles per node.
The flowers are arranged in clusters of 3, with 3 white to pinkish petals from
4-6 mm long and broadly obovate in shape with subentire to toothed tips (See
photo above.). The flowers are 6-9 mm wide. The 3 green sepals are broadly obovate
to orbicular in shape. The 6 stamens are shorter than the petals and 10-25 separate
ovaries are found in the middle of the flower.
Habitat:
American waterplantain may be found in water or
wet places from the lowlands to moderate elevations in the mountains.
Range:
American waterplantain may be found from southern British Columbia
south to southern California and east to Nova Scotia, Maine, New York, Missouri,
Colorado and Arizona. It is also found across much of Eurasia, Africa, and Australia.
In the Columbia River Gorge it may be found between the elevations
of 0'-1800' throughout the length of the Gorge.
The photo above shows a close-up sideview of the flower of American waterplantain.
Photographed along the Old Highway about one mile east of Major Creek.......July 7, 2006.
The photo above shows a close view of the branched stem of American waterplantain as seen from a ditch along the Old Highway about one mile east of Major Creek........July 7, 2006.
American waterplantain along the lower Deschutes
River, Columbia River Gorge..........September 3, 2000.
The photo above shows a close-up of a basal leaf of American waterplantain as seen in a ditch along
the Old Highway about one mile east of Major Creek in the central Columbia River Gorge.......July 7, 2006.
A close-up side view of American waterplantain,
from the Deschutes River, Columbia River Gorge.......September 3, 2000.
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Close-ups of american waterplantain as seen from vernal pools near Horsethief Butte in the eastern Columbia River Gorge.........July 10, 2009.
European waterplantain as seen from a stock pond along the South Klickitat Breaks Road, Klickitat Wildlife Area.............June 30, 2014.
A close-up of the flower of American waterplantain.
Note the slightly toothed tips of the petals. Photographed near the mouth of
the Deschutes River, Columbia River Gorge..........September 3, 2000.
Paul Slichter
