- Family:
- Polygonaceae Juss.
Polygonum L.

[FTEA]
Polygonaceae, R. A. Graham. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1958
- Morphology General Habit
- Hermaphrodite herbs or (rarely) shrubs, glabrous to very hairy, slender or stout, often paludal
- Morphology Leaves Ocrea
- Ocreae with or without a terminal fringe of stiff bristles
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
- Flowers (in E. African spp.) borne in spiciform racemes or terminal capitula
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracteoles
- Bracteoles 2, conjoined, thinly membranous and contained within the ocreiform bracts
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Perianth
- Perianth (in E. African spp.) not accrescent, calyciform at the base, with 4–5, often imbricate, petaloid, ± persistent tepals
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
- Stamens 5–8, included or protruding, a little dilated at the base or conjoined there into a ring
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil
- Styles 2 or 3, often united for part of their length; stigmas capitate
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
- Ripe nuts often black and shining, acutely to obscurely trigonous, or lenticular with convex or concave (dimpled) sides.
[FSOM]
M. Thulin et al. Flora of Somalia, Vol. 1-4 [updated 2008] https://plants.jstor.org/collection/FLOS
- Morphology General Habit
- Herbs or dwarf shrubs, glabrous or hairy
- Morphology Leaves Stipules
- Ochreae with or without bristles at the margin
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
- Flowers bisexual, in spikes (in Somalia), solitary or variously clustered
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Tepal
- Tepals 4–5, free or united at the base, petaloid, not enlarging in fruit
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
- Stamens (5–)8
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style
- Styles 2 or 3; stigmas capitate
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
- Nuts trigonous or lens-shaped, enclosed in the persistent perianth or partly exserted.
- Distribution
- Cosmopolitan genus of some 115 species.
- Note
- The Somali species belong to sect. Persicaria (Mill.) DC., a group which is often given generic rank (see, e.g., Wilson in Kew Bull. 45: 621–636 (1990).
[FZ]
Flora Zambesiaca. Vol. 9, Part 3. Polygonaceae-Myriaceae. Pope GV, Polhill RM, Martins ES. 2006.
- Morphology Leaves
- Leaves alternate, small, usually less than 2 cm long and articulated at the base, lanceolate-elliptic to oblong Leaves alternate, small, usually less than 2 cm long and articulated at the base, lanceolate-elliptic to oblong.
- Morphology Leaves Ocrea
- Ocrea membranaceous, silvery or white, often deeply lacerate, glabrous Ocrea membranaceous, silvery or white, often deeply lacerate, glabrous.
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
- Flowers hermaphrodite, rarely unisexual, solitary or in sessile fascicles springing from the axils of bracts; bracteoles 2, fused, thinly membranous and contained within the bracts Flowers hermaphrodite, rarely unisexual, solitary or in sessile fascicles springing from the axils of bracts; bracteoles 2, fused, thinly membranous and contained within the bracts.
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Perianth
- Perianth segments (4)5, equal or somewhat unequal in length, spirally arranged, often imbricate, free or united in the lower part, petaloid at least in part, with only one main vein (the vein sometimes branched); outer segments keeled or slightly angular, different from the inner Perianth segments (4)5, equal or somewhat unequal in length, spirally arranged, often imbricate, free or united in the lower part, petaloid at least in part, with only one main vein (the vein sometimes branched); outer segments keeled or slightly angular, different from the inner.
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
- Stamens 4–6, rarely fewer, included or not; filaments broadly dilated in the lower half, free or sometimes united at the base into a ring; anthers globose or ellipsoid, dorsifixed; interstaminal nectaries lacking Stamens 4–6, rarely fewer, included or not; filaments broadly dilated in the lower half, free or sometimes united at the base into a ring; anthers globose or ellipsoid, dorsifixed; interstaminal nectaries lacking.
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary
- Ovary included in the perianth; styles (2)3, free; stigmas capitate
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
- Nut trigonous, enclosed in the persistent perianth or protruding from it for less than half its length. Nut trigonous, enclosed in the persistent perianth or protruding from it for less than half its length.
- Distribution
- A cosmopolitan genus of c. 20 species, most occurring in north temperate regions (knotweeds).
- Morphology General Habit
- Annual or perennial prostrate or semi-erect herbs (rarely shrubs), glabrous or hairy. Annual or perennial prostrate or semi-erect herbs (rarely shrubs), glabrous or hairy
- Morphology Stem
- Stems much branched. Stems much branched
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil
- Ovary included in the perianth; styles (2)3, free; stigmas capitate.
Native to:
Afghanistan, Alabama, Alaska, Albania, Alberta, Algeria, Altay, Amur, Andaman Is., Angola, Argentina Northeast, Argentina Northwest, Argentina South, Arizona, Arkansas, Assam, Austria, Azores, Baleares, Baltic States, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Benin, Bolivia, Botswana, British Columbia, Bulgaria, Burkina, Buryatiya, California, Cambodia, Canary Is., Cape Provinces, Central European Rus, Chad, Chile Central, Chile South, China North-Central, China South-Central, China Southeast, Chita, Colorado, Connecticut, Corse, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Czechoslovakia, Delaware, Denmark, District of Columbia, East Aegean Is., East European Russia, East Himalaya, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Finland, Florida, France, Free State, Føroyar, Georgia, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Greenland, Guatemala, Gulf States, Hainan, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, Idaho, Illinois, India, Indiana, Inner Mongolia, Iowa, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Irkutsk, Italy, Japan, Jawa, Kamchatka, Kansas, Kazakhstan, Kentucky, Kenya, Khabarovsk, Kirgizstan, Korea, Krasnoyarsk, Kriti, Krym, Kuril Is., Kuwait, KwaZulu-Natal, Labrador, Laos, Lebanon-Syria, Libya, Louisiana, Madagascar, Madeira, Magadan, Maine, Malawi, Mali, Manchuria, Manitoba, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mauritania, Mexico Gulf, Mexico Northeast, Mexico Northwest, Mexico Southeast, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Mongolia, Montana, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nansei-shoto, Nebraska, Nepal, Netherlands, Nevada, New Brunswick, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New South Wales, New York, Newfoundland, Niger, Nigeria, North Carolina, North Caucasus, North Dakota, North European Russi, Northern Provinces, Northern Territory, Northwest European R, Northwest Territorie, Norway, Nova Scotia, Nunavut, Ohio, Oklahoma, Ontario, Oregon, Pakistan, Palestine, Pennsylvania, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Primorye, Prince Edward I., Qinghai, Queensland, Québec, Rhode I., Romania, Sakhalin, Sardegna, Saskatchewan, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sicilia, Sinai, South Australia, South Carolina, South Dakota, South European Russi, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Sumatera, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Tadzhikistan, Taiwan, Tanzania, Tennessee, Texas, Thailand, Tibet, Transcaucasus, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkey-in-Europe, Turkmenistan, Tuva, Ukraine, Uruguay, Utah, Uzbekistan, Vermont, Victoria, Vietnam, Virginia, Washington, West Himalaya, West Siberia, West Virginia, Western Australia, Western Sahara, Wisconsin, Wyoming, Xinjiang, Yakutskiya, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Yukon, Zambia, Zaïre, Zimbabwe
Introduced into:
Brazil South, Brazil Southeast, Chile North, Colombia, Ecuador, Falkland Is., Hawaii, Juan Fernández Is., Lesotho, Mauritius, Mexico Central, New Zealand North, Paraguay, Réunion, Svalbard, Tristan da Cunha
- Polygonum acerosum Ledeb. ex Meisn.
- Polygonum acetosum M.Bieb.
- Polygonum achoreum S.F.Blake
- Polygonum afghanicum Meisn.
- Polygonum afromontanum Greenway
- Polygonum afyonicum Leblebici & Gemici
- Polygonum agreste Sumnev.
- Polygonum ajanense (Regel & Tiling) Grig.
- Polygonum albanicum Jáv.
- Polygonum aleppicum Boiss. & Hausskn.
- Polygonum amgense Michaleva & Perfiljeva
- Polygonum arenarium Waldst. & Kit.
- Polygonum arenastrum Boreau
- Polygonum argyrocoleon Steud. ex Kunze
- Polygonum articulatum L.
- Polygonum arussense Chiov.
- Polygonum aschersonianum H.Gross
- Polygonum austiniae Greene
- Polygonum aviculare L.
- Polygonum balansae Boiss.
- Polygonum basiramia (Small) T.M.Schust. & Reveal
- Polygonum bellardii All.
- Polygonum biaristatum Aitch. & Hemsl.
- Polygonum bidwelliae S.Watson
- Polygonum bolanderi W.H.Brewer ex A.Gray
- Polygonum boreale (Lange) Small
- Polygonum bornmuelleri Litv.
- Polygonum bowenkampii Phil.
- Polygonum brasiliense K.Koch
- Polygonum breviarticulatum Rech.f.
- Polygonum californicum Meisn.
- Polygonum cappadocicum Boiss. & Balansa
- Polygonum cascadense W.H.Baker
- Polygonum cashmirense H.Gross
- Polygonum caspicum Kom.
- Polygonum cedrorum Boiss. & Kotschy
- Polygonum cilinode Michx.
- Polygonum cognatum Meisn.
- Polygonum corrigioloides Jaub. & Spach
- Polygonum czukavinae Soják
- Polygonum delopyrum T.M.Schust. & Reveal
- Polygonum dentoceras T.M.Schust. & Reveal
- Polygonum douglasii Greene
- Polygonum effusum Meisn.
- Polygonum ekimianum Leblebici, H.Duman & Aytaç
- Polygonum engelmannii Greene
- Polygonum equisetiforme Sm.
- Polygonum erectum L.
- Polygonum euxinum Chrtek
- Polygonum evenkiense Tupitz. & Juzeph.
- Polygonum excelsius (Karlsson) Uotila
- Polygonum fibrilliferum Kom.
- Polygonum fimbriatum Elliott
- Polygonum floribundum Schltdl. ex Spreng.
- Polygonum fowleri B.L.Rob.
- Polygonum fragile Sumnev.
- Polygonum fusco-ochreatum Kom.
- Polygonum gabrielae Costea & Tardif
- Polygonum glaucum Nutt.
- Polygonum gussonei Tod.
- Polygonum heterosepalum M.Peck & Ownbey
- Polygonum hickmanii H.R.Hinds & Rand.Morgan
- Polygonum hohuanshanense S.S.Ying
- Polygonum huichunense F.Z.Li, Y.T.Hou & C.Y.Qu
- Polygonum humifusum C.Merck ex K.Koch
- Polygonum hyrcanicum Rech.f.
- Polygonum icaricum Rech.f.
- Polygonum idaeum Hayek
- Polygonum ilanense Y.C.Liu & C.H.Ou
- Polygonum inflexum Kom.
- Polygonum intramongolicum A.J.Li ex Borodina
- Polygonum iranicum Mozaff.
- Polygonum istanbulicum M.Keskin
- Polygonum jaxarticum Sumnev.
- Polygonum karacae Ziel. & Borat.
- Polygonum lacerum Kunth
- Polygonum libani Boiss.
- Polygonum longiocreatum Bartlett
- Polygonum longipes Halácsy & Charrel
- Polygonum luzuloides Jaub. & Spach
- Polygonum majus (Meisn.) Piper
- Polygonum marinense T.R.Mert. & P.H.Raven
- Polygonum maritimum L.
- Polygonum melihae Gemici & Kit Tan
- Polygonum mesembricum Chrtek
- Polygonum mezianum H.Gross
- Polygonum minimum S.Watson
- Polygonum mirajabii Chaudhri
- Polygonum molliiforme Boiss.
- Polygonum nesomii T.M.Schust. & Reveal
- Polygonum norvegicum (Sam.) Lid
- Polygonum novoascanicum Klokov
- Polygonum nuttallii Small
- Polygonum olivascens Rech.f. & Schiman-Czeika
- Polygonum oxyspermum C.A.Mey. & Bunge ex Ledeb.
- Polygonum palaestinum Zohary
- Polygonum papillosum Hartvig
- Polygonum parksii (Cory) T.M.Schust. & Reveal
- Polygonum paronychia Cham. & Schltdl.
- Polygonum paronychioides C.A.Mey.
- Polygonum parryi Greene
- Polygonum patuliforme Vorosch.
- Polygonum patulum M.Bieb.
- Polygonum plebeium R.Br.
- Polygonum podlechii Rech.f. & Schiman-Czeika
- Polygonum polycnemoides Jaub. & Spach
- Polygonum polygaloides Meisn.
- Polygonum polygamum Vent.
- Polygonum polyneuron Franch. & Sav.
- Polygonum pringlei Small
- Polygonum psammophilum (Bordz. ex Tzvelev) Tzvelev
- Polygonum × pseudobellardii Hausskn.
- Polygonum × pseudopulchellum Hausskn.
- Polygonum pteranthum Kitag.
- Polygonum raii Bab.
- Polygonum ramosissimum Michx.
- Polygonum ramuliflorum Kitag.
- Polygonum recumbens Royle ex Bab.
- Polygonum rigidum Skvortsov
- Polygonum roberti Loisel.
- Polygonum romanum Jacq.
- Polygonum rottboellioides Jaub. & Spach
- Polygonum rupestre Kar. & Kir.
- Polygonum rurivagum Jord. ex Boreau
- Polygonum ryukyuense Kitag.
- Polygonum sabulosum Vorosch.
- Polygonum salebrosum Coode & Cullen
- Polygonum salsugineum M.Bieb.
- Polygonum samsunicum Yild. & Leblebici
- Polygonum sarobiense Rech.f.
- Polygonum sawatchense Small
- Polygonum schischkinii N.A.Ivanova ex Borodina
- Polygonum schistosum Czukav.
- Polygonum scoparium Req. ex Loisel.
- Polygonum sericeum Pall.
- Polygonum serotinum Raf.
- Polygonum setosum Jacq.
- Polygonum shastense W.H.Brewer ex A.Gray
- Polygonum shiheziense F.Z.Li, Y.T.Hou & F.J.Lu
- Polygonum shuchengense Z.Z.Zhou
- Polygonum shuense A.J.Li & B.J.Bao
- Polygonum sivasicum Kit Tan & Yildiz
- Polygonum smallianum T.M.Schust. & Reveal
- Polygonum snijmaniae S.Ortiz
- Polygonum spergulariiforme Meisn. ex Small
- Polygonum striatulum B.L.Rob.
- Polygonum stypticum Cham. & Schltdl.
- Polygonum subaphyllum Sumnev.
- Polygonum sumatranum Bruijn
- Polygonum sylvaticum Skvortsov
- Polygonum tachengense F.Z.Li, Y.T.Hou & F.J.Lu
- Polygonum tatewakianum Koji Ito
- Polygonum tenerum Spreng.
- Polygonum tenorei C.Presl
- Polygonum tenue Michx.
- Polygonum tenuissimum A.I.Baranov & Skvortsov ex Vorosch.
- Polygonum thymifolium Jaub. & Spach
- Polygonum turkestanicum Sumnev.
- Polygonum undulatum (L.) P.J.Bergius
- Polygonum uniflorum Y.X.Ma & Y.T.Zhao
- Polygonum urumqiense F.Z.Li, Y.T.Hou & F.J.Lu
- Polygonum utahense Brenckle & Cottam
- Polygonum valerii A.K.Skvortsov
- Polygonum volchovense Tzvelev
- Polygonum vvedenskyi Sumnev.
- Polygonum zakirovii Czevr.
- Polygonum zaravschanicum Zakirov
- Ampelygonum Lindl.
- Asicaria Neck.
- Avicularia (Meisn.) Börner
- Centinodia Rchb.
- Centinodium (Rchb.) Drejer
- Chulusium Raf.
- Cnopos Raf.
- Delopyrum Small
- Dentoceras Small
- Dioctis Raf.
- Discolenta Raf.
- Duravia (S.Watson) Greene
- Gononcus Raf.
- Gonopyrum Fisch. & C.A.Mey.
- Lyonella Raf.
- Lyonia Raf.
- Phyllepidum Raf.
- Pleurostena Raf.
- Polygonella Michx.
- Polygonon St.-Lag.
- Psammogonum Nieuwl.
- Spermaulaxen Raf.
- Stopinaca Raf.
- Tephis Adans.
- Thysanella A.Gray
Polygonum L. appears in other Kew resources:
Date | Reference | Identified As | Barcode | Type Status | Has image? |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Strachey, R. [Cat. no. s.n.] | K001132871 | Yes |
First published in Sp. Pl.: 359 (1753)
Accepted by
- Schuster, T.M., Reveal, J.L., Bayly, M.J. & Kron, K.A. (2015). An updated molecular phylogeny of Polygonoideae (Polygonaceae): relationships of Oxygonum, Pteroxygonum, and Rumex, and a new circumscription of Koenigia Taxon 64: 1188-1208.
Literature
Flora of West Tropical Africa
- A. N. Steward in Contrib. Gray Herb. Harv. 88 (1930).
- —F.T.A. 6, 1: 103
Flora Zambesiaca
- Bot. J. Linn. Soc. 98: 340–343 (1988).
- F.T.E.A., Polygonaceae: 13–14 (1958).
- Gen. Pl., ed. 5: 170 (1754) nom. conserv.
- Graham in F.T.E.A., Polygonaceae: 13–14 (1958).
- Meisner in de Candolle, Prodr. 14: 85–101 (1856).
- Ronse Decraene & Akeroyd in Bot. J. Linn. Soc. 98: 340–343 (1988).
- Sp. Pl.: 359 (1753)
- de Candolle, Prodr. 14: 85–101 (1856).
Flora of Somalia
- Flora Somalia, Vol 1, (1993) Author: by M. Thulin [updated by M. Thulin 2008]
Flora of Tropical East Africa
- L., Gen. Pl., ed. 5: 170 (1754)
- Sp. Pl.: 359 (1753)
-
Flora Zambesiaca
Flora Zambesiaca
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0
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Flora of Somalia
Flora of Somalia
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0
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Flora of Tropical East Africa
Flora of Tropical East Africa
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0
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Herbarium Catalogue Specimens
Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
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Kew Backbone Distributions
The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Selected Plant Families 2022. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/
© Copyright 2017 World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0
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Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone
The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Selected Plant Families 2022. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/
© Copyright 2017 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0
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Plants and People Africa
Common Names from Plants and People Africa http://www.plantsandpeopleafrica.com/
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