Persicaria

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

See text

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

The genus includes both annuals and perennials. Most have terminal spikes of pink or sometimes 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] Species

The following species are now classified in the genus Persicaria:

  • Polygonum affine (Persicaria affinis)
  • Polygonum alatum (Persicaria alata)
  • Polygonum alpinum – alpine knotweed (Persicaria alpina)
  • Polygonum amphibium – amphibious bistort (Persicaria amphibia)
  • Polygonum amplexicaule - Mountain Fleece (Persicaria amplexicaulis)
  • Polygonum bistortabistort (Persicaria bistorta)
  • Polygonum campanulatum – lesser knotweed (Persicaria campanulata) (Reynoutria campanulatum)
  • Polygonum capitatum - pink bubbles persicaria (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 microcephalum – red dragon persicaria (Persicaria microcephala)
  • 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 – Pennsylvania smartweed or pink knotweed or pinkweed (Persicaria pensylvanica)
  • Polygonum persicariaredshank or persicaria or lady's thumb (Persicaria maculosa)
  • Persicaria polymorpha - Knotweed
  • 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 – Jumpseed (Persicaria virginiana)
  • Polygonum viviparumalpine bistort (Persicaria vivipara)
  • Polygonum wallichii – Himalayan knotweed (Persicaria wallichii)
  • Polygonum weyrichii (Persicaria weyrichii)
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