Pontederia sagittata C. Presl

Pontederia sagittata Presl, Rel. Haenk. 1: 116. 1827
Ponlederia cordata f. sagittata Solms, in DC. Monog. Phan. 4: 533. 1883.
Plant emersed, up to 1 m. tall; lower spathe-valve with the blade sagittate, with long basal auricles, the body of the blade up to 18 cm. long and broad, the apex obtuse, the auricles up to 15 cm. long, directed downwards, rounded at the tip, the upper spathe-valve loosely sheathing, the upper portion spreading, 5-9 cm. long, abruptly caudate; inflorescence glabrous to pilose, sparsely glandular, the flowering portion 5-15 cm. long; perianth sparsely glandularhairy or glabrate, the resinous streaks strongly prominent even in bud, lilac-color, its tube 6-7 mm. long, its limb spreading, the lobes 8-10 mm. long, broadly elliptic to ovate, the three outer oblanceolate, the three inner obovate, the middle upper one with a large yellow blotch ; filaments glabrous; anthers ovate-sagittate; stigma 3-6-cleft; fruit not seen.
Type locality: Mexico. Distribution: Vera Cruz to Honduras.