Sagittaria sanfordii

Sanford's arrowhead

Family: Alismataceae · Type: perennial · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 1B.2

Sanford's arrowhead is a rare (CNPS 1B.2) California native perennial found in northern Coast Ranges, Klamath Ranges, northern Sierra Nevada foothills, Central Valley, and northern Southern California coastal areas in ponds and ditches at elevations below 300 meters. Flowering from May to October, this plant produces white flowers with distinctive spheric tubers emerging from water. Growing with emergent leaves 14 to 25 centimeters long, it develops linear to lanceolate blades that are flat or triangular in cross-section. Its leaves emerge on petioles that range from blade-like to three-angled, adapting to aquatic environments. The plant produces fruits with oil-streaked sides and a short erect beak measuring 0.2 to 0.6 millimeters long.

Habitat: Ponds, ditches

Bloom period: May-Oct

Elevation: < 300 m

Bioregions: n NCo (Del Norte Co.), KR, CaRF, GV, n SCo (Ventura Co.).

California counties: San Joaquin, Ventura, Fresno, Butte, Tehama, San Bernardino, Shasta, Sacramento, Yuba, Marin, Mariposa, Merced, Napa, Del Norte

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.