[The Water Plantain Family in the Columbia River Gorge of Oregon and Washington]

American Waterplantain, Northern Water-plantain

Alisma triviale

Synonyms: Alisma plantago-aquatica, Alisma plantago-aquatica var. americanum, Alisma plantago-aquatica var. plantago-aquatica

Close-up of a flower of American Waterplantain, Northern Water-plantain: Alisma plantago-aquatica (Synonyms: Alisma plantago-aquatica var. americanum, Alisma plantago-aquatica var. plantago-aquatica, Alisma triviale) - American Waterplantain, Northern Water-plantain: Alisma triviale (Synonyms: Alisma plantago-aquatica, Alisma plantago-aquatica var. americanum, Alisma plantago-aquatica var. plantago-aquatica)

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.

Underside of the petals and sepals of the flower of American Waterplantain, American Water-plantain, Northern Water-plantain: Alisma plantago-aquatica (Synonyms: Alisma plantago-aquatica var. americanum, Alisma plantago-aquatica var. plantago-aquatica, Alisma triviale)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.


Sideview of the flower of American Waterplantain, American Water-plantain, Northern Water-plantain: Alisma plantago-aquatica (Synonyms: Alisma plantago-aquatica var. americanum, Alisma plantago-aquatica var. plantago-aquatica, Alisma triviale)
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.

Close-up of the inflorescence of American Waterplantain, American Water-plantain, Northern Water-plantain: Alisma plantago-aquatica (Synonyms: Alisma plantago-aquatica var. americanum, Alisma plantago-aquatica var. plantago-aquatica, Alisma triviale)
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, American Water-plantain, European Water-plantain, Northern Water-plantain: Alisma plantago-aquatica (Synonyms: Alisma plantago-aquatica var. americanum, Alisma plantago-aquatica var. plantago-aquatica, Alisma triviale)
American waterplantain along the lower Deschutes River, Columbia River Gorge..........September 3, 2000.

Basal leaf of American Waterplantain, American Water-plantain, Northern Water-plantain: Alisma plantago-aquatica (Synonyms: Alisma plantago-aquatica var. americanum, Alisma plantago-aquatica var. plantago-aquatica, Alisma triviale)
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.

Inflorescence of American Waterplantain, American Water-plantain, Northern Water-plantain: Alisma plantago-aquatica (Synonyms: Alisma plantago-aquatica var. americanum, Alisma plantago-aquatica var. plantago-aquatica, Alisma triviale)
A close-up side view of American waterplantain, from the Deschutes River, Columbia River Gorge.......September 3, 2000.

American Waterplantain, American Water-plantain, European Water-plantain, Northern Water-plantain: Alisma plantago-aquatica (Synonyms: Alisma plantago-aquatica var. americanum, Alisma plantago-aquatica var. plantago-aquatica, Alisma triviale) -- American Waterplantain, American Water-plantain, European Water-plantain, Northern Water-plantain: Alisma plantago-aquatica (Synonyms: Alisma plantago-aquatica var. americanum, Alisma plantago-aquatica var. plantago-aquatica, Alisma triviale)

Close-ups of american waterplantain as seen from vernal pools near Horsethief Butte in the eastern Columbia River Gorge.........July 10, 2009.

European Waterplantain, European Water-plantain, Northern Water-plantain: Alisma triviale (Synonyms: Alisma plantago-aquatica, Alisma plantago-aquatica var. americanum, Alisma plantago-aquatica var. plantago-aquatica)

European waterplantain as seen from a stock pond along the South Klickitat Breaks Road, Klickitat Wildlife Area.............June 30, 2014.

Flower of American Waterplantain, American Water-plantain, European Water-plantain, Northern Water-plantain: Alisma plantago-aquatica (Synonyms: Alisma plantago-aquatica var. americanum, Alisma plantago-aquatica var. plantago-aquatica, Alisma triviale)
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