Persicaria Explained

Persicaria is a genus of herbaceous flowering plants in the knotweed family, Polygonaceae. Plants of the genus are known commonly as knotweeds[1] or smartweeds.[2] It has a cosmopolitan distribution, with species occurring nearly worldwide.[2] [3] The genus was segregated from Polygonum.[4]

Description

The genus includes annual and perennial herbs with taproots or fibrous root systems, or with rhizomes or stolons. The stems are often erect but may be prostrate along the ground, and some species are prickly.[2] The stems are self-supporting or twining and climbing.[5] The leaves are alternately arranged, deciduous, and variously shaped. The brownish or reddish ochrea may be leathery to papery. The inflorescence may be a panicle or a spikelike or headlike arrangement of fascicles of flowers. The flower is white, greenish, reddish, pink or purple, with the tepals partially fused together along the bases. The fruit is an achene which can take a number of shapes, including a disc or a sphere.[2]

Taxonomy

Within the family Polygonaceae, Persicaria is placed in the subfamily Polygonoideae, where the tribe Persicarieae consists of two sister genera, Bistorta and Koenigia, together with Persicaria.

Species

, the following 132 species were accepted:[6]

General and cited references

Notes and References

  1. Book: Stace, C. A.. Stace, C. A.. 2010. New Flora of the British Isles. Third. Cambridge University Press. Cambridge, U.K.. 88. 9780521707725.
  2. http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=124629 Persicaria.
  3. http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=gn&name=Persicaria Persicaria.
  4. Wilson, K. L. (1990). "Some widespread species of Persicaria (Polygonaceae) and their allies". Kew Bulletin 45(4) 621-36.
  5. https://florabase.dpaw.wa.gov.au/browse/profile/21343 Persicaria.
  6. Web site: Persicaria Mill. . Plants of the World Online . Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. 2023-11-08.