Leiden University Library - Seikei Zusetsu vol

''Persicaria'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

of herbaceous

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 ...

s in the knotweed family,

Polygonaceae The Polygonaceae are a family of flowering plants known informally as the knotweed family or smartweed—buckwheat family in the United States. The name is based on the genus ''Polygonum'', and was first used by Antoine Laurent de Jussieu in 1789 ...

. Plants of the genus are known commonly as knotweeds or smartweeds.''Persicaria''.
Flora of North America. It has a

cosmopolitan distribution In biogeography, cosmopolitan distribution is the term for the range of a taxon that extends across all or most of the world in appropriate habitats. Such a taxon, usually a species, is said to exhibit cosmopolitanism or cosmopolitism. The ext ...

, with species occurring nearly worldwide.''Persicaria''.
New South Wales Flora Online. National Herbarium, Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney. The genus was segregated from ''

Polygonum ''Polygonum'' is a genus of about 130 species of flowering plant in the buckwheat and knotweed family Polygonaceae. Common names include knotweed and knotgrass (though the common names may refer more broadly to plants from Polygonaceae). In the ...

''.Wilson, K. L. (1990)
Some widespread species of ''Persicaria'' (Polygonaceae) and their allies.
''Kew Bulletin'' 45(4) 621-36. Persicaria amphibia kz3

Persicaria glabra in Narshapur forest, AP W IMG 1109

Description

The genus includes annual and perennial herbs with taproots or fibrous root systems, or with

rhizome In botany and dendrology, a rhizome (; , ) is a modified subterranean plant stem that sends out roots and shoots from its nodes. Rhizomes are also called creeping rootstalks or just rootstalks. Rhizomes develop from axillary buds and grow hori ...

s or

stolon In biology, stolons (from Latin '' stolō'', genitive ''stolōnis'' – "branch"), also known as runners, are horizontal connections between organisms. They may be part of the organism, or of its skeleton; typically, animal stolons are external s ...

s. The stems are often erect but may be prostrate along the ground, and some species are prickly. The stems are self-supporting or twining and climbing.''Persicaria''.
FloraBase. Western Australian Herbarium. The leaves are alternately arranged,

deciduous In the fields of horticulture and Botany, the term ''deciduous'' () means "falling off at maturity" and "tending to fall off", in reference to trees and shrubs that seasonally shed leaves, usually in the autumn; to the shedding of petals, aft ...

, and variously shaped. The brownish or reddish

ochrea An ochrea (Latin ''ocrea'', greave or protective legging), also spelled ocrea, is a plant structure formed of stipules fused into a sheath surrounding the stem, and is typically found in the Polygonaceae The Polygonaceae are a family of flower ...

may be leathery to papery. The

inflorescence An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Morphologically, it is the modified part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed o ...

may be a

panicle A panicle is a much-branched inflorescence. (softcover ). Some authors distinguish it from a compound spike inflorescence, by requiring that the flowers (and fruit) be pedicellate (having a single stem per flower). The branches of a panicle are of ...

or a spikelike or headlike arrangement of fascicles of flowers. The flower is white, greenish, reddish, pink or purple, with the

tepal A tepal is one of the outer parts of a flower (collectively the perianth). The term is used when these parts cannot easily be classified as either sepals or petals. This may be because the parts of the perianth are undifferentiated (i.e. of very ...

s partially fused together along the bases. The fruit is an

achene An achene (; ), also sometimes called akene and occasionally achenium or achenocarp, is a type of simple dry fruit produced by many species of flowering plants. Achenes are monocarpellate (formed from one carpel) and indehiscent (they do not ope ...

which can take a number of shapes, including a disc or a sphere.

Taxonomy

Within the

family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...

, ''Persicaria'' is placed in the

subfamily In biological classification, a subfamily (Latin: ', plural ') is an auxiliary (intermediate) taxonomic rank, next below family but more inclusive than genus. Standard nomenclature rules end subfamily botanical names with "-oideae", and zoologi ...

Polygonoideae, where the

tribe The term tribe is used in many different contexts to refer to a category of human social group. The predominant worldwide usage of the term in English language, English is in the discipline of anthropology. This definition is contested, in p ...

Persicarieae consists of two sister genera, '' Bistorta'' and ''

Koenigia :Koenigia'' as described by Philibert Commerçon is a synonym of ''Dombeya. ''Koenigia'' is a genus of plants in the family Polygonaceae. The genus ''Aconogonon'' has been merged into ''Koenigia''. Description Species of ''Koenigia'' are annual ...

'', together with ''Persicaria''.

Species

Plants of the World Online Plants of the World Online (POWO) is an online database published by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. It was launched in March 2017 with the ultimate aim being "to enable users to access information on all the world's known seed-bearing plants by ...

accepted the following 131 species: *'' Persicaria acuminata'' (Kunth) M.Gómez *''

Persicaria akakiensis ''Persicaria'' is a genus of herbaceous flowering plants in the knotweed family, Polygonaceae. Plants of the genus are known commonly as knotweeds or smartweeds.Persicaria amphibia ''Persicaria amphibia'' ( syn. ''Polygonum amphibium'') is a species of flowering plant in the knotweed family known by several common names, including longroot smartweed, water knotweed, water smartweed, and amphibious bistort. It is native to ...

'' (L.) Delarbre – amphibious bistort, water smartweed *'' Persicaria angustifolia'' (Pall.) Ronse Decr. *'' Persicaria arifolia'' (L.) Haraldson – halberd-leaf tearthumb *'' Persicaria assamica'' (Meisn.) Soják *''

Persicaria attenuata ''Persicaria attenuata'' is a species of flowering plant native to Australia and Asia. It typically grows in wet land or streams. References Flora of New South Wales Perennial plants attenuata ''Attenuata'' is a genus of minute sea s ...

'' (R.Br.) Soják *'' Persicaria barbata'' (L.) H.Hara *''

Persicaria biconvexa ''Persicaria'' is a genus of herbaceous flowering plants in the knotweed family, Polygonaceae. Plants of the genus are known commonly as knotweeds or smartweeds.Persicaria bicornis'' (Raf.) Nieuwl. – pink smartweed *'' Persicaria breviochreata'' (Makino) Ohki *'' Persicaria bungeana'' (Turcz.) Nakai – prickly smartweed *''

Persicaria capitata ''Persicaria capitata'', the pink-headed persicaria, pinkhead smartweed, pink knotweed, Japanese knotweed, or pink bubble persicaria, is an Asian species of plants in the genus ''Persicaria'' within the buckwheat family. It is native to Asia (Ch ...

'' (Buch.-Ham. ex D.Don) H.Gross – pink-head knotweed *'' Persicaria careyi'' (Olney) Greene – Carey's smartweed *''

Persicaria cespitosa ''Persicaria cespitosa'' (synonym ''Polygonum cespitosum''), known as tufted knotweed, is a summer annual weedy plant of the family Polygonaceae, native to eastern Asia, from China to Japan and Southeast Asia, and introduced into North America. ...

'' (Blume) Nakai *''

Persicaria chinensis ''Persicaria chinensis'' ( synonym ''Polygonum chinense''), commonly known as creeping smartweed or Chinese knotweed, is a plant species from the family Polygonaceae The Polygonaceae are a family of flowering plants known informally as the kno ...

'' (L.) H.Gross – Chinese knotweed *'' Persicaria debilis'' (Meisn.) H.Gross ex W.Lee *'' Persicaria decipiens'' (R.Br.) K.L.Wilson – slender knotweed, willow-weed *'' Persicaria dichotoma'' (Blume) Masam. *'' Persicaria dissitiflora'' (Hemsl.) H.Gross ex T.Mori *'' Persicaria eciliata'' M.A.Hassan *'' Persicaria extremiorientalis'' (Vorosch.) Tzvelev *'' Persicaria ferruginea'' (Wedd.) Soják *'' Persicaria filiformis'' (Thunb.) Nakai *''

Persicaria foliosa ''Persicaria foliosa'' is a species of flowering plant belonging to the family Polygonaceae The Polygonaceae are a family of flowering plants known informally as the knotweed family or smartweed—buckwheat family in the United States. The nam ...

'' (H.Lindb.) Kitag. *'' Persicaria galapagensis'' (Caruel) Galasso *'' Persicaria glabra'' (Willd.) M.Gómez' – smooth smartweed *'' Persicaria glacialis'' (Meisn.) H.Hara *'' Persicaria glandulopilosa'' (De Wild.) Soják *'' Persicaria glomerata'' (Dammer) S.Ortiz & Paiva *'' Persicaria hastatosagittata'' (Makino) Nakai *'' Persicaria hirsuta'' (Walter) Small – hairy smartweed *'' Persicaria hispida'' (Kunth) M.Gómez *'' Persicaria humilis'' (Meisn.) H.Hara *''

Persicaria hydropiper ''Persicaria hydropiper'' ( syn. ''Polygonum hydropiper''), also known as water pepper, marshpepper knotweed, arse smart or tade, is a plant of the family Polygonaceae. A widespread species, ''Persicaria hydropiper'' is found in Australia, New Z ...

'' (L.) Delarbre – water-pepper, marsh-pepper smartweed *'' Persicaria hydropiperoides'' (Michx.) Small – swamp smartweed, mild water-pepper *'' Persicaria hystricula'' (J.Schust.) Soják *'' Persicaria japonica'' (Meisn.) Nakai *'' Persicaria kawagoeana'' (Makino) Nakai *'' Persicaria lanigera'' (R.Br.) Soják *''

Persicaria lapathifolia ''Persicaria lapathifolia'' (syn. ''Polygonum lapathifolium''), known as pale persicaria, is a plant of the family Polygonaceae. It is closely related to '' Persicaria maculosa'' and as such is considered a weed in Britain and Europe. Other co ...

'' (L.) Delarbre – pale persicaria *''

Persicaria laxmannii ''Persicaria'' is a genus of herbaceous flowering plants in the knotweed family, Polygonaceae. Plants of the genus are known commonly as knotweeds or smartweeds.Persicaria limbata'' (Meisn.) H.Hara *'' Persicaria longiseta'' (Bruyn) Kitag. – bristly lady's thumb *''

Persicaria maackiana ''Persicaria'' is a genus of herbaceous flowering plants in the knotweed family, Polygonaceae. Plants of the genus are known commonly as knotweeds or smartweeds.Persicaria macrantha ''Persicaria'' is a genus of herbaceous flowering plants in the knotweed family, Polygonaceae. Plants of the genus are known commonly as knotweeds or smartweeds.Persicaria maculosa'' Gray – Jesusplant, spotted lady's thumb, redshank *'' Persicaria madagascariensis'' (Meisn.) S.Ortiz & Paiva *''

Persicaria malaica ''Persicaria'' is a genus of herbaceous flowering plants in the knotweed family, Polygonaceae. Plants of the genus are known commonly as knotweeds or smartweeds.Persicaria meisneriana'' (Cham. & Schltdl.) M.Gómez – Mexican tearthumb *'' Persicaria microcephala'' (D.Don) H.Gross *''

Persicaria minor ''Persicaria minor'' is species of herb in the family Polygonaceae. Common names include pygmy smartweed, small water pepper and swamp willow weed. This herb is native to Asia, but distributed widely in Europe and Australia. It is used in South E ...

'' (Huds.) Opiz – small water-pepper *''

Persicaria mitis ''Persicaria mitis'' (Schrank) Assenov is a species of flowering plant in the family Polygonaceae, native to Europe. (''Persicaria mitis'' Delarbre is a different species, being a rejected synonym of '' Persicaria maculosa''.) Taxonomy The speci ...

'' (Schrank) Assenov *''

Persicaria muricata ''Persicaria'' is a genus of herbaceous flowering plants in the knotweed family, Polygonaceae. Plants of the genus are known commonly as knotweeds or smartweeds.Persicaria neofiliformis'' (Nakai) Ohki *'' Persicaria nepalensis'' (Meisn.) Miyabe) – Nepal knotweed *''

Persicaria nogueirae ''Persicaria'' is a genus of herbaceous flowering plants in the knotweed family, Polygonaceae. Plants of the genus are known commonly as knotweeds or smartweeds.Persicaria obtusifolia'' (Täckh. & Boulos) Greuter & Burdet *''

Persicaria odorata ''Persicaria odorata'', with common names Vietnamese coriander, rau răm, laksa leaf, Vietnamese cilantro, phak phai, praew leaf, hot mint and Cambodian mint, is an herb with aromatic leaves, used in Southeast Asian and Northeast Indian cooking. ...

'' (Lour.) Soják – Vietnamese coriander *'' Persicaria orientalis'' (L.) Spach – kiss-me-over-the-garden-gate, prince's feather, princess-feather *'' Persicaria palmata'' (Dunn) Yonek. & H.Ohashi *'' Persicaria paraguayensis'' (Wedd.) S.T.Kim & Donoghue *'' Persicaria peduncularis'' (Wall. ex Meisn.) Nemoto *''

Persicaria pensylvanica ''Persicaria pensylvanica'' (syn. ''Polygonum pensylvanicum'') is a species of flowering plant in the buckwheat family, Polygonaceae. It is native to parts of North America, where it is widespread in Canada and the United States. It has also been ...

'' (L.) M.Gómez) – Pennsylvania smartweed *''

Persicaria perfoliata ''Persicaria perfoliata'' (basionym ''Polygonum perfoliatum'') is a species of flowering plant in the buckwheat family. Common names include mile-a-minute, devil's tail, giant climbing tearthumb, and Asiatic tearthumb. It is a trailing herbaceou ...

'' (L.) H.Gross *'' Persicaria poiretii'' (Meisn.) K.L.Wilson *''

Persicaria posumbu ''Persicaria posumbu'' is a species of flowering plant in the family Polygonaceae. It was first described as ''Polygonum posumbu'' in 1825 and transferred to the genus ''Persicaria'' in 1919. Plants of the World Online records it as having a dis ...

'' (Buch.-Ham. ex D.Don) H.Gross *''

Persicaria praetermissa ''Persicaria'' is a genus of herbaceous flowering plants in the knotweed family, Polygonaceae. Plants of the genus are known commonly as knotweeds or smartweeds.Persicaria prostrata'' (R.Br.) Soják - Creeping Knotweed *''

Persicaria pubescens ''Persicaria'' is a genus of herbaceous flowering plants in the knotweed family, Polygonaceae. Plants of the genus are known commonly as knotweeds or smartweeds.Persicaria pulchra ''Persicaria'' is a genus of herbaceous flowering plants in the knotweed family, Polygonaceae. Plants of the genus are known commonly as knotweeds or smartweeds.Persicaria punctata ''Persicaria punctata'' (syn. ''Polygonum punctatum'') is a species of flowering plant in the knotweed family known by the common names dotted smartweed and dotted knotweed. ''Persicaria punctata'' is native to the Americas, where it can be fou ...

'' (Elliott) Small – dotted knotweed *'' Persicaria puritanorum'' (Fernald) Soják *'' Persicaria robustior'' (Small) E.P.Bicknell – stout smartweed *'' Persicaria roseoviridis'' Kitag. *'' Persicaria rubricaulis'' (Cham.) Galasso *''

Persicaria rudis ''Persicaria'' is a genus of herbaceous flowering plants in the knotweed family, Polygonaceae. Plants of the genus are known commonly as knotweeds or smartweeds.Persicaria runcinata ''Persicaria runcinata'' is a species of flowering plant in the family Polygonaceae, native to the eastern Himalayas and Myanmar Myanmar, ; UK pronunciations: US pronunciations incl. . Note: Wikipedia's IPA conventions require indicatin ...

'' (Buch.-Ham. ex D.Don) H.Gross *'' Persicaria sagittata'' (L.) H.Gross – American tearthumb, arrowleaf tearthumb, arrowvine *''

Persicaria segetum ''Persicaria'' is a genus of herbaceous flowering plants in the knotweed family, Polygonaceae. Plants of the genus are known commonly as knotweeds or smartweeds.Persicaria senegalensis'' (Meisn.) Soják *'' Persicaria senticosa'' (Meisn.) H.Gross *''

Persicaria setacea ''Persicaria'' is a genus of herbaceous flowering plants in the knotweed family, Polygonaceae. Plants of the genus are known commonly as knotweeds or smartweeds.Persicaria setosula'' (A.Rich.) K.L.Wilson *'' Persicaria sinica'' Migo *''

Persicaria sinuata ''Persicaria'' is a genus of herbaceous flowering plants in the knotweed family, Polygonaceae. Plants of the genus are known commonly as knotweeds or smartweeds.Persicaria stagnina'' (Buch.-Ham. ex Meisn.) M.A.Hassan *'' Persicaria stelligera'' (Cham.) Galasso *'' Persicaria strigosa'' (R.Br.) Nakai – spotted knotweed *'' Persicaria subsessilis'' (R.Br.) K.L.Wilson *'' Persicaria sungareensis'' Kitag. *''

Persicaria taquetii ''Persicaria'' is a genus of herbaceous flowering plants in the knotweed family, Polygonaceae. Plants of the genus are known commonly as knotweeds or smartweeds.Persicaria tenella'' (Blume) H.Hara *'' Persicaria thunbergii'' (Siebold & Zucc.) H.Gross *''

Persicaria tinctoria ''Persicaria tinctoria'' is a species of flowering plant in the buckwheat family. Common names include Chinese indigo and Japanese indigo. It is native to Eastern Europe and Asia. The leaves were a source of indigo dye. It was already in use in ...

'' (Aiton) Spach – Chinese indigo, polygonum-indigo *'' Persicaria trigonocarpa'' (Makino) Nakai *'' Persicaria truellum'' (Koidz.) Honda *''

Persicaria virginiana ''Persicaria virginiana'', also called jumpseed, Virginia knotweed or woodland knotweed is a North American species of smartweed within the buckwheat family. It is unusual as a shade-tolerant member of a mostly sun-loving genus. Jumpseed is a p ...

'' (L.) Gaertn. – jumpseed *'' Persicaria viscofera'' (Makino) H.Gross *'' Persicaria viscosa'' (Buch.-Ham. ex D.Don) H.Gross ex T.Mori *''

Persicaria wellensii ''Persicaria'' is a genus of herbaceous flowering plants in the knotweed family, Polygonaceae. Plants of the genus are known commonly as knotweeds or smartweeds. Polygonaceae genera Taxa named by Philip Miller