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Thalia geniculata
Thalia geniculata L.
Bent Alligator-flag, Arrow Root
Marantaceae (Prayer-Plant Family)
Synonym(s): Thalia trichocalyx
USDA Symbol: THGE2
USDA Native Status: L48 (N), PR (N)
The lance-shaped leaves of Bent Alligator-flag or Arrow Root, with blades 1-2 ft. long and about half as wide, have petioles up to 3 ft. long. The lax, branching inflorescence of blue & purple flowers in open panicles may be 3 ft. tall. The entire plant grows 6-10 ft. in height.
The light green foliage on their stalks gives these conspicuous plants the name “flags.” They are related to the banana and the canna.
Plant Characteristics
Duration: PerennialHabit: Herb
Fruit Type: Capsule
Size Notes: Up to about 10 feet tall.
Bloom Information
Bloom Color: Blue , PurpleBloom Time: May , Jun , Jul , Aug , Sep , Oct , Nov , Dec
Distribution
USA: AL , FL , LANative Distribution: FL to the West Indies
Native Habitat: Stream & pond margins; wet ditches
Growing Conditions
Light Requirement: Part ShadeAquatic: yes
Soil Description: Shallow water or poorly drained, wet soils.
Propagation
Commercially Avail: yesNational Wetland Indicator Status
Region: | AGCP | AK | AW | CB | EMP | GP | HI | MW | NCNE | WMVE |
Status: | OBL | OBL | OBL |
Web Reference
Webref 38 - Flora of North America (2019) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.Webref 23 - Southwest Environmental Information Network (2009) SEINet - Arizona Chapter
Research Literature
Reslit 661 - Response of selected nontarget native Florida wetland plant species to metsulfuron methyl (2008) J. T. Hutchinson and K. A. LangelandReslit 2814 - Performance evaluation of constructed wetlands in a tropical region (2009) Y. P. Katsenovich, A. Hummel-Batista, A. J. Ravine...
Reslit 2815 - Phytoremediation of wastewater with Limnocharis flava, Thalia geniculata and Typha latifolia in constructed wetlands (2013) A. K. Anning, P. E. Korsah, P. Addo-Fordjour
Reslit 2822 - Investigations on the construction of the pollination apparatus of Thalia geniculata (Marantaceae) (1991) R. Classenbockhoff
Reslit 2823 - The role of flower visitors in the explosive pollination of Thalia geniculata (Marantaceae), a Costa Rican marsh plant (1987) M. A. Davis
Reslit 2824 - Inflorescence development in Thalia geniculata (Marantaceae) (1985) B. K. Kirchoff
Reslit 2825 - Differential nitrogen and phosphorus recovery by five aquatic garden species in laboratory-scale subsurface-constructed wetlands (2008) R. F. Polomski, D. G. Bielenberg, T. Whitwell, M. ...
Reslit 2826 - A red-petioled form of Thalia geniculata L. from central Florida (1975) A. G. Shuey
Reslit 2827 - Inflorescence structure and development in the Zingiberales: Thalia geniculata (Marantaceae) (1986) B. K. Kirchoff
This information was provided by the Florida WIldflower Foundation.
Search More Titles in Research Literature
Additional resources
USDA: Find Thalia geniculata in USDA PlantsFNA: Find Thalia geniculata in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Thalia geniculata
Metadata
Record Modified: 2023-02-28Research By: TWC Staff