Alismataceae -- Water-plantains
Arrowhead, Wapato, Duck potato, wild potato, -- Sagittaria species –
Habitat: marshes, wet bogs, mud flats
Characteristics: Aquatic perennial with tubers. Grows in swamp water to a height of about 10 inches. Arrowhead-shaped leaves and filmy white-petal flowers. Roots have walnut-sized tubers.
Primary uses: Use root corms as potatoes, sliced or whole, boiled, sauteed or raw. Strung and dried, then ground for flour.
Nutritional value: Easily digestible; a nutritious food.
Collection and storage: When harvesting, use a pitchfork and lift gently. Can also be collected with bare hands or toes for those not afraid of getting muddy. The tubers tend to snap off in the mud if not handled gently. Tubers freeze and dry well. Scrub thoroughly and string with a needle and thread. hang the strings to dry, then store in glass. They are easily reconstituted in water.
Caution: Do not harvest from contaminated or foul water. If in doubt, use a purification tablet and soak tubers in water purifying solution.
Tubers are an excellent source of carbohydrates. They cling to the ends of long underwater roots and can be collected without disturbing the entire plant if you are careful. Tubers are best in late fall when the flower stalk is dying back and vary in size from that of a new potato, to a peanut. Boil or bake them like a potato, then peel and eat. Use only if you find them in large supply, as they are not abundant in Texas.
