Persicaria

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

iPersicaria
Flowering spike of Persicaria maculata
Flowering spike of Persicaria maculata
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Polygonaceae
Genus: Persicaria

Persicaria is a genus of plants in the family Polygonaceae, collectively known as Smartweeds or Pinkweeds. The genus was formerly included in Polygonum.

The genus includes both annuals and perennials. Most have terminal spikes of pink or somewimes white flowers.

Most members of the genus are aggressive and/or invasive weeds, though some have been used as cover crops in the field and ornamental plants in the garden.

[edit] Plants now classified as Persicaria

  • Polygonum affine (Persicaria affinis)
  • Polygonum alatum (Persicaria alata)
  • Polygonum alpinum – alpine knotweed (Persicaria alpina)
  • Polygonum amphibium – amphibious bistort (Persicaria amphibia)
  • Polygonum amplexicaule (Persicaria amplexicaulis)
  • Polygonum bistortabistort (Persicaria bistorta)
  • Polygonum campanulatum – lesser knotweed (Persicaria campanulata) (Reynoutria campanulatum)
  • Polygonum capitatum (Persicaria capitata)
  • Polygonum emodi (Persicaria emodi)
  • Polygonum filiforme (Persicaria virginiana)
  • Polygonum hydropiperwater-pepper (Persicaria hydropiper)
  • Polygonum lapathifolium – pale persicaria or nodding smartweed (Persicaria lapathifolia)
  • Polygonum longisetum (Persicaria longiseta)
  • Polygonum macrophyllum (Persicaria macrophylla)
  • Polygonum milletii (Persicaria milletii)
  • Polygonum minus – small water-pepper (Persicaria minor)
  • Polygonum mite – tasteless water-pepper (Persicaria mitis, Persicaria laxiflora)
  • Polygonum molle (Persicaria mollis)
  • Polygonum nepalense (Persicaria nepalensis)
  • Polygonum odoratumVietnamese coriander (Persicaria odorata)
  • Polygonum orientale (Persicaria orientalis)
  • Polygonum pensylvanicum – Pennsylania smartweed or pink knotweed or pinkweed (Persicaria pensylvanica)
  • Polygonum persicariaredshank or persicaria or lady's thumb (Persicaria maculosa)
  • Polygonum polystachyum = Polygonum wallichii
  • Polygonum runciforme (Persicaria runcinata)
  • Polygonum sagittatum – arrowleaf tearthumb, American tear-thumb or scratchgrass (Persicaria sagittata)
  • Polygonum tenuicaule (Persicaria tenuicaulis)
  • Polygonum tinctorium (Persicaria tinctoria)
  • Polygonum vaccinifolium (Persicaria vaccinifolia)
  • Polygonum virginianum (Persicaria virginiana)
  • Polygonum viviparumalpine bistort (Persicaria vivipara)
  • Polygonum wallichii – Himalayan knotweed (Persicaria wallichii)
  • Polygonum weyrichii (Persicaria weyrichii)

[edit] See also

Wikibooks has more information about Smartweeds in A Wikimanual of Gardening.