The deeply cleft leaves and their shape give rise to the common name arrowhead one of several species of the genus Sagittaria common to Louisiana rice fields. It is sometimes called duck-potato because of the fondness of wild ducks for their roots as feed. The single leaf of arrowhead shown here is easy to recognize. Sagittaria sp. are one of three genera of the family Alismataceae found in Louisiana rice fields. The other two are Alisma and Echinodorus.

The juvenile leaves of arrowhead are not arrowhead shaped. As they mature, the later-formed leaves will take on the distinct shape for which they are named.