Pontederia cordata Linnaeus var. cordata . Common name: Heartleaf Pickerelweed. Phenology: May-Oct. Habitat: Swamps, seepage areas, marshes, pond-shores, lake-shores. Distribution: NS west to MN, south to s. FL and TX; Belize; s. Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay.
Origin/Endemic status: Native
Taxonomy Comments: The recognition of infraspecific taxa in Pontederia cordata is controversial and requires additional study.
Other Comments: P. cordata exhibits tristyly, an interesting breeding system. Each plant has one of 3 types of flowers: (a) a short style, 3 medium and 3 long stamens, (b) a medium style, 3 short and 3 long stamens, or (c) a long style, 3 short and 3 medium stamens.
Synonymy ⓘ: = GW1, Meso6, Mo1, Tx, Va, Lowden (1973); = Pontederia cordata L. — F, G, S, S13, WV; < Pontederia cordata L. — Ar, C, Can, ETx1, FNA26, Il, K4, NcTx, NE, NS, NY, Pa, POWO, RAB, Tat, Tn, W, WH3; Pontederia cordata L. Basionym: Pontederia cordata L. 1753
Links to other floras: < Pontederia cordata - FNA26
Show parent genus | Show parent in key(s)
Wetland Indicator Status:
- Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: OBL (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
- Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: OBL (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
- Great Plains: OBL (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
- Midwest: OBL (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
- Northcentral & Northeast: OBL (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
Heliophily ⓘ: 8
Hover over a shape, letter, icon, or arrow on the map for definition or see the legend.









Feedback
See something wrong or missing on about Pontederia cordata var. cordata? Let us know here: (Please include your name and email if at all complicated so we can clarify if needed.) We greatly appreciate feedback, and will include updates from you in our next webapp update, which can take a few months. If a species is not keyed, that's because keying is ongoing. Please don't send us feedback about unkeyed species.
Horticultural Information
No horticultural data found for this taxon.