Persicaria limbata (Meisn.) H.Hara

Flora Zambesiaca. Vol. 9, Part 3. Polygonaceae-Myriaceae. Pope GV, Polhill RM, Martins ES. 2006.

Type

Syntypes from Senegal and Nile Delta.

Habit

An erect or procumbent perennial herb, sometimes forming mats, appressed hairy on the upper parts, more rarely glabrous throughout or covered with long white hairs An erect or procumbent perennial herb, sometimes forming mats, appressed hairy on the upper parts, more rarely glabrous throughout or covered with long white hairs.

Stem

Stems reddish-brown, up to 2 m or more long, sometimes rooting at the lower nodes, longitudinally striate, hollow in the lower part Stems reddish-brown, up to 2 m or more long, sometimes rooting at the lower nodes, longitudinally striate, hollow in the lower part.

Leaves

Leaves 8–16 × 0.2–1.7(3.5) cm, linear-lanceolate, acute and apiculate at the apex, narrowed to the base, sometimes crisped on the margins, pubescent or with silky hairs on both surfaces, sometimes with some glands Leaves 8–16 × 0.2–1.7(3.5) cm, linear-lanceolate, acute and apiculate at the apex, narrowed to the base, sometimes crisped on the margins, pubescent or with silky hairs on both surfaces, sometimes with some glands.

Ocrea

Ocrea brownish, 1–1.8 cm long, glabrous, membranous, with a spreading or recurved herbaceous limb 1–9 mm long, ciliate at the apex and hairy outside Ocrea brownish, 1–1.8 cm long, glabrous, membranous, with a spreading or recurved herbaceous limb 1–9 mm long, ciliate at the apex and hairy outside.

Flowers

Flowers pedicellate, in fascicles of 2–3; fascicles numerous, surrounded by bracts and borne in 2–3 dense pedunculate, terminal or lateral, spiciform racemes 2–7 × 0.5 cm in size; peduncles up to 12 cm long, hairy; bracts hairy or glabrous, with or without a ciliate margin Flowers pedicellate, in fascicles of 2–3; fascicles numerous, surrounded by bracts and borne in 2–3 dense pedunculate, terminal or lateral, spiciform racemes 2–7 × 0.5 cm in size; peduncles up to 12 cm long, hairy; bracts hairy or glabrous, with or without a ciliate margin.

Perianth

Perianth white-pink, pink or bluish-pink, c. 4.5 mm long, 5-lobed; lobes 2.5–3 mm long Perianth white-pink, pink or bluish-pink, c. 4.5 mm long, 5-lobed; lobes 2.5–3 mm long.

Stamens

Stamens 7; filaments 2–2.5 mm long, filiform; anthers pink, 0.4 × 0.2 mm Stamens 7; filaments 2–2.5 mm long, filiform; anthers pink, 0.4 × 0.2 mm.

Ovary

Ovary 1.5 × 1.5 mm, compressed; styles 2, 1–2 mm long united for half their length

Fruits

Nut dark red-brown to black, shiny, smooth, 2.5–3 × 2.5–3 mm, ± lenticular, convex, the persistent style base forming a beak. Nut dark red-brown to black, shiny, smooth, 2.5–3 × 2.5–3 mm, ± lenticular, convex, the persistent style base forming a beak.

Ecology

Growing in moist places, often in water, on pan margins, river banks, open wet grassland, in sandy soils and alluvium, and dry water courses; up to 1500 m.

Distribution

Caprivi Strip In tropical Africa, from Egypt southwards to Dem. Rep. Congo and Tanzania and westwards to northern Nigeria, Senegal and Angola, south to Namibia and South Africa; also in India. Malawi Malawi Zimbabwe Zambia BOT N, BOT W, BOT SE, ZAM B, ZAM N, ZAM W, ZAM C, ZAM E, ZAM S, ZIM N, ZIM W, ZIM C, ZIM S, MAL C, MAL S, MOZ GI Botswana Mozambique

Pistil

Ovary 1.5 × 1.5 mm, compressed; styles 2, 1–2 mm long united for half their length.