Wapato
Sagittaria latifolia
Conservation status data sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sagittaria_latifolia
Taxonomy & Classification
Kingdom
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Order
Alismatales
Family
Alismataceae
Genus
Sagittaria
Wapato belongs to the family Alismataceae, order Alismatales, within the Liliopsida class.
Species Profile
Species profile data sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Wapato faces severe threats from wetland habitat destruction and degradation due to agricultural conversion, urban development, and water management practices that alter natural hydrology. Pollution from agricultural runoff and invasive species competition further compromise remaining populations, while climate change threatens to disrupt the specific water level conditions this species requires for reproduction.
Key Facts
Habitat & Distribution
Shallow freshwater wetlands, marshes, pond margins, and slow-moving streams with muddy substrates, typically in areas with seasonal water level fluctuations. Also found in ditches, rice fields, and other human-modified aquatic habitats with appropriate water depths.
Threats
IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered
Wapato faces severe threats from wetland habitat destruction and degradation due to agricultural conversion, urban development, and water management practices that alter natural hydrology. Pollution from agricultural runoff and invasive species competition further compromise remaining populations, while climate change threatens to disrupt the specific water level conditions this species requires for reproduction.
Agricultural and urban pollution
Hydrological alterations from water management
Wetland habitat loss and conversion
Climate change impacts on water levels
Invasive species competition
Community Sightings
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Sources & Attribution
How to Cite
IUCN: IUCN (2025). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2025-1. Available at: https://www.iucnredlist.org. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2025-1.RLTS
GBIF: GBIF.org (2025). GBIF Home Page. Available at: https://www.gbif.org
This page: SpeciesRadar (2025). Wapato (Sagittaria latifolia). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/wapato