''Persicaria bicornis'' is a North American species of flowering plant in the buckwheat family (Polygonaceae). The common name is pink smartweed. It is native to the central and southwestern United States from northern

Texas Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...

west to

Arizona Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is part of the Fou ...

, east to

Louisiana Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-smallest by area and the 25th most populous of the 50 U.S. states. Louisiana is borde ...

, and north as far as eastern

Wyoming Wyoming () is a U.S. state, state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is bordered by Montana to the north and northwest, South Dakota and Nebraska to the east, Idaho to the west, Utah to the south ...

South Dakota South Dakota (; Sioux language, Sioux: , ) is a U.S. state in the West North Central states, North Central region of the United States. It is also part of the Great Plains. South Dakota is named after the Lakota people, Lakota and Dakota peo ...

Iowa Iowa () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States, bordered by the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west. It is bordered by six states: Wisconsin to the northeast, Illinois to the ...

, and

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolita ...

Description

''Persicaria bicornis'' is an annual herb that grows up to tall. It has lanceolate leaves up to long and groups of small pink flowers with 5 pink tepals. Its pink flowers contain 6-8 stamens with pink or red anthers. These flowers contain 1 compound pistil with 2-3 styles coming out of the base of the flower. Flora of North America, ''Persicaria bicornis'' (Rafinesque) Nieuwland, 1914. Pink smartweed
/ref> The blooms appear to be fringed, and its heterostylous flowers are positioned very closely together. ''Persicaria bicornis'' has leaf blades that are more narrow than ''P. pensylvanica,'' which helps to distinguish the two.

Distribution and habitat

This species can be found in North America: Arkansas, Colorado, Illinois, Louisiana, Missouri, and Texas amongst other places. It can be found in disturbed places such as moist ditches, and on the shorelines of ponds and reservoirs. ''Persicaria bicornis'' typically grows from June to October.

Uses

There are currently no known human uses for this particular species.

References

External links

{{Taxonbar, from=Q15594808 bicornis Flora of the United States Plants described in 1817