Persicaria lapathifolia - (image 1 of 4)
Taxonomy
Family: Polygonaceae
Synonymous with Polygonum lapathifolium L.
Habitat
Moist soil.
Associates
Distribution
Throughout temperate North America and in the Old World, both native and introduced ecotypes probably exist.
Morphology
Annual; stems erect or occasionally prostrate, to 1.5 m; leaves variable, typically lanceolate and acuminate, often tomentose beneath; ocreae entire or lacerate, not fringed-ciliate at the summit; summit of peduncle and axis of inflorescence glabrous to densely glandular; racemes numerous, nodding, 1-5 cm; ocreolae ovate; perianth pink, white, or green, 3-4 mm at maturity, 4(5)-lobed to below the middle, the outer lobes becoming obovate, strongly 3-veined, each vein divided at the summit into two recurved branches; achene lenticular, flat or concave on both sides, 1.7-3.2 mm, 75-90% as wide.
Notes
Flowers July to October
Wetland indicator: FACW
One of the taller species of smartweed and rather common.
References
Gleason, Henry A. and A. Cronquist. 1991. Manual of Vascular Plants of Northeastern United States and Adjacent Canada. Second Ed.
The New York Botanical Garden. Bronx, NY
USDA, NRCS. 2002. The PLANTS Database, Version 3.5 (http://plants.usda.gov).
National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, LA 70874-4490 USA.
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Michael Hough © 2018 |