Polygonaceae

Fagopyrum Mill.

First published in Gard. Dict. Abr., ed. 4.: [s.p.] (1754)
This genus is accepted
The native range of this genus is Cameroon to South Sudan and E. Tanzania, S. Siberia to Indo-China.

Descriptions

Ghazanfar, S. A. & Edmondson, J. R (Eds). (2016) Flora of Iraq, Volume 5 Part 1: Elatinaceae to Sphenocleaceae.

Morphology General Habit
Annual or perennial herbs
Morphology Stem
Stem single, erect, hollow, branched
Morphology Leaves
Leaves sagittate or hastate, palmately veined, petiolate
Morphology Leaves Stipules
Ochreae membranous, not ciliate
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers bisexual, heterostylous, in axillary and terminal umbels
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Perianth
Perianth segments 5, subequal, not enlarged in fruit
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens 8
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style
Styles 3, long and slender
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Nut sharply trigonous, much exceeding the perianth.
Distribution
About 15 species distributed in Europe and temperate Asia; one species in Iraq.
Etymology
Fagopyrum (from φαγο, fago, beech and υρος, pyros, kernel).
[FIQ]

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

Morphology General Habit
Annual or perennial herbs Annual or perennial herbs.
Morphology Stem
Stem erect, glabrous or hairy, hollow Stem erect, glabrous or hairy, hollow.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves alternate, petiolate Leaves alternate, petiolate.
Morphology Leaves Ocrea
Ocrea short, obliquely truncate, entire Ocrea short, obliquely truncate, entire.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers hermaphrodite, heterostylous, in shortly pedunculate bracteate clusters, arranged in terminal and axillary raceme-like panicles Flowers hermaphrodite, heterostylous, in shortly pedunculate bracteate clusters, arranged in terminal and axillary raceme-like panicles.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Perianth
Perianth 5-merous, campanulate; segments almost free, subequal, with a main vein and 2 collateral veins arising near the base Perianth 5-merous, campanulate; segments almost free, subequal, with a main vein and 2 collateral veins arising near the base.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style
Styles 3, filiform; stigmas capitate
Distribution
A genus of c. 15 species mainly in eastern Asia, with one species (formerly in Harpagocarpus) native in tropical Africa and one naturalized and cultivated in temperate and tropical highland regions of the world.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens 7–8, alternating with yellow nectaries on the disk. Stamens 7–8, alternating with yellow nectaries on the disk
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil
Styles 3, filiform; stigmas capitate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Nut much exceeding the perianth, triquetrous with sharp angles and elsewhere sometimes with barbed bristles. Nut much exceeding the perianth, triquetrous with sharp angles and elsewhere sometimes with barbed bristles.
[FZ]

Polygonaceae, R. A. Graham. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1958

Morphology General Habit
Hermaphrodite
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Tepal
Tepals 5, unequal, somewhat accrescent
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens 8
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary
Ovary trigonous, with minute globular protuberances arranged in two rows down the angles; these later developing into two rows of setae, with slightly deflexed, stellate, terminal barbs
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style
Styles 3, subcapitate, later reflexing
Distribution
A monotypic genus confined to tropical Africa, so far known only from scattered localities.
[FTEA]

Common Names

unknown
shiushu-kotsuba soba

Sources

  • EBC Common Names

    • Common Names from Kew's Economic Botany Collection https://www.kew.org/science/collections-and-resources/collections/economic-botany-collection

  • Flora Zambesiaca

    • Flora Zambesiaca
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of Iraq

    • Ghazanfar, S. A., Edmondson, J. R. (Eds). (2013-2019). Flora of Iraq, Volumes 5.1, 5.2 and 6.0. Kew Publishing
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of Tropical East Africa

    • Flora of Tropical East Africa
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2025. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2025. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0