Arrowhead, Swamp potato
Sagittaria guayanensis

Family: Alismataceae

What it is like

An annual herb that grows in water. It grows 50 cm tall. The leaves can float. It has a small rootstock. These corms are 2.5 cm long by 3 cm wide. The leaves are 3.5-10.5 cm long by 1.5-8.5 cm wide. The flowers are in 1-7 rings and float. There are 3 flowers in each ring.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It grows in swamps and muddy pools in west Africa. In Argentina it grows from sea level to 900 m above sea level.

Countries/locations it is found in

Afghanistan, Africa, America, Argentina, Asia, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Central America, Chad, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, East Africa, Ecuador, El Salvador, French Guiana, Gambia, Ghana, Guatemala, Guianas, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Himalayas, Honduras, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Laos, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mali, Mexico, Myanmar, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Northeastern India, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, SE Asia, Senegal, South America (country/location of origin), Sudan, Suriname, Taiwan, Thailand, Trinidad-Tobago, Uruguay, Venezuela, Vietnam, West Africa, West Indies

How it is used for food

Edible parts

Tuber, root, leaves

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Be-chi, Kunto, Okuaba, Tame

Synonyms

Echinodorus guayanensis (Kunth) Griseb.; Lophiocarpus guayanensis (Kunth) Micheli; and several others