''Bistorta amplexicaulis'' (
synonym ''Persicaria amplexicaulis''), the red bistort
or mountain fleece, is a
species
In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...
of
flowering plant
Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words ('container, vessel') and ('seed'), and refers to those plants th ...
in the buckwheat family Polygonaceae,
native
Native may refer to:
People
* Jus soli, citizenship by right of birth
* Indigenous peoples, peoples with a set of specific rights based on their historical ties to a particular territory
** Native Americans (disambiguation)
In arts and entert ...
to China, the Himalayas, and Pakistan. It is a damp-loving
herbaceous perennial
A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also wid ...
growing to tall and wide, with heart-shaped pointed leaves, downy beneath, and narrow spikes of rose-red or white flowers in summer.
Numerous
cultivars have been developed for garden use, including 'Firetail'.
Etymology
The Latin
specific epithet ''amplexicaulis'' means "clasping or embracing the stem", and refers to the leaves' habit of growing around the stem.
References
Perennial plants
Plants described in 1825
Flora of Asia
amplexicaulis
{{Polygonaceae-stub