Abstract: The genus Sagittaria belongs to Alismataceae, of which many aquatic plants have worldwide distribution. The plants in Sagittaria live in diverse habitats, with complex phenotypic response to their environment (both vegetative and reproductive), and are basal lineages in monocots, which make them a good study system for ecologists and evolutionary biologists. Among all related studies on Sagittaria, this review generalized the species of interest, the questions being asked and their conclusions. Typically, there are both common and endangered species in this genus, and ecological factors probably account for the endangerment. Some Sagittaria species have become invasive weeds in areas of paddy fields;however, competitive ability seems variable depending on different rice cultivars. Environment plays a big role in shaping phenotypes and has a large effect on the community structure of aquatic systems with Sagittaria plants. There are relatively high levels of genetic variation in Sagittaria species. With regard to reproduction, the plants show tradeoffs between sexual and asexual reproduction, and between two gender functions. There is strong evidence in the evolutionary path from monoecy to dioecy in S. trifolia. In this review, we also mention the lack of research in certain areas, emphasize some methods and ideas, and point out future directions.