Polygonum amphibium

This perennial plant is about 2–3½' tall and either unbranched or sparingly branched. The central stem is more or less erect (for terrestrial plants), swelling somewhat at the nodes where the leaf-sheaths wrap around the stem. These nodes can be brownish and short-hairy, but they lack bristles at the edges. Otherwise, the central stem is light green, terete, and glabrous to silky-hairy. The alternate leaves are up to 8" long and 3" across; they have short petioles. The leaves are usually lanceolate or ovate in shape, while their margins are smooth. Sometimes the margins are undulate (up-and-down) or slightly curled. Both the upper and lower leaf surfaces are medium green. The leaf surfaces are either hairless, or they have appressed silvery hairs, depending on the local ecotype. The midveins on leaf undersides are quite prominent. Their are 1 or 2 terminal racemes of flowers at the apex of the central stem. The flowering stalks are quite hairy and often brownish in appearance. The cylindrical racemes are about 2-3" long and densely crowded with flowers. Each flower is about 1/6" (4-5 mm.) across, consisting of 5 petaloid sepals, 5 exerted stamens, and an ovary with a divided white style. The showy sepals of these flowers are rosy pink or scarlet (usually the former). The blooming period can occur from mid-summer to early fall, lasting about 1-2 months for a colony of plants. There is no noticeable floral scent. Usually, only a minority of plants in a colony will bloom during a given year. The flowers are replaced by black seeds that are ovoid to globoid in shape and somewhat flattened; the seed surface is shiny and minutely granular. The root system produces long rhizomes, from which colonies of plants are formed. Cultivation

Persicaria amphibia var. emersa (Michx.) J.C. Hickman:
United States (North America)

Note: This information is based on publications available through Tropicos and may not represent the entire distribution. Tropicos does not categorize distributions as native or non-native.

Persicaria muhlenbergii (Meisn.) Small:
Canada (North America)
United States (North America)

Note: This information is based on publications available through Tropicos and may not represent the entire distribution. Tropicos does not categorize distributions as native or non-native.

Polygonum coccineum var. rigidulum (E. Sheld.) Stanford:
Canada (North America)
United States (North America)

Note: This information is based on publications available through Tropicos and may not represent the entire distribution. Tropicos does not categorize distributions as native or non-native.

Polygonum coccineum var. pratincola (Greene) Stanford:
United States (North America)

Note: This information is based on publications available through Tropicos and may not represent the entire distribution. Tropicos does not categorize distributions as native or non-native.

Polygonum coccineum Muhl. ex Willd.:
Canada (North America)
United States (North America)

Note: This information is based on publications available through Tropicos and may not represent the entire distribution. Tropicos does not categorize distributions as native or non-native.

Polygonum amphibium var. stipulaceum N. Coleman:
United States (North America)
Canada (North America)

Note: This information is based on publications available through Tropicos and may not represent the entire distribution. Tropicos does not categorize distributions as native or non-native.

Polygonum amphibium var. emersum Michx.:
United States (North America)

Note: This information is based on publications available through Tropicos and may not represent the entire distribution. Tropicos does not categorize distributions as native or non-native.

Polygonum amphibium L.:
Bhutan (Asia)
China (Asia)
India (Asia)
Japan (Asia)
Kyrgyzstan (Asia)
Kazakhstan (Asia)
Mongolia (Asia)
Nepal (Asia)
Russian Federation (Asia)
South Korea (Asia)
Tajikistan (Asia)
Turkmenistan (Asia)
United States (North America)
Uzbekistan (Asia)
South Africa (Africa & Madagascar)
Mexico (Mesoamerica)

Note: This information is based on publications available through Tropicos and may not represent the entire distribution. Tropicos does not categorize distributions as native or non-native.

Persicaria coccinea (Muhl. ex Willd.) Greene:
United States (North America)

Note: This information is based on publications available through Tropicos and may not represent the entire distribution. Tropicos does not categorize distributions as native or non-native.

St. Pierre and Miquelon; Alta., B.C., Man., N.B., Nfld. and Labr., N.W.T., N.S., Ont. , P.E.I., Que., Sask., Yukon; Alaska, Ariz., Ark., Calif., Colo., Conn., Del., D.C., Idaho, Ill., Ind., Iowa, Kans., Ky., La., Maine, Md., Mass., Mich., Minn., Miss., Mo., Mont., Nebr., Nev., N.H., N.J., N.Mex., N.Y., N.C., N.Dak., Ohio, Okla., Oreg., Pa., R.I., S.C., S.Dak., Tenn., Tex., Utah, Vt., Va., Wash., W.Va., Wis., Wyo.; Mexico; South America; Eurasia; Africa.

Anhui, Gansu, Guizhou, Hebei, Heilongjiang, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jilin, Liaoning, Nei Mongol, Ningxia, Qinghai, Shaanxi, Shandong, Shanxi, Sichuan, Xinjiang, Xizang, Yunnan [Very widely distributed: Bhutan, NW India, Japan, Kashmir, Kazakhstan, Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Nepal, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan; Asia, Europe, North America].

Canada

Origin: Native

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Present

Confidence: Confident

Type of Residency: Year-round

United States

Origin: Native

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Present

Confidence: Confident

Type of Residency: Year-round

Canada

Origin: Native

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Present

Confidence: Confident

Type of Residency: Year-round

United States

Origin: Unknown/Undetermined

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Unknown/Undetermined

Confidence: Confident

Global Range: CA, easthern North America, Eurasia.

Canada

Origin: Native

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Present

Confidence: Confident

Type of Residency: Year-round

United States

Origin: Native

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Present

Confidence: Confident

Type of Residency: Year-round

Europe, W. Asia, Himalaya (Kashmir, Kumaun to Bhutan), Tibet, Siberia, China, N. Japan, N. America.

Distribution: Europe, W. Asia, Himalayas (Pakistan, Kashmir to Bhutan), Xizang, Siberia, China, Japan and North America.

Plants perennial, 2-12 dm in terrestrial plants, to 30 dm in some aquatic plants; roots also sometimes arising from proximal nodes; rhizomes or stolons usually present. Stems prostrate to ascending or erect, simple or branched, ribbed, glabrous or strigose to hirsute. Leaves: ocrea tan to dark brown, cylindric or flared distally, 5-50 mm, chartaceous or, sometimes, foliaceous distally, base inflated, margins truncate to oblique, glabrous or ciliate with hairs 0.5-4.5 mm, surface glabrous or appressed-pubescent to hirsute, not glandular-punctate; petiole 0.1-3(-7) cm, glabrous or appressed-pubescent to hirsute, leaves sometimes sessile; blade without dark triangular or lunate blotch adaxially, ovate-lanceolate to elliptic or oblong-lanceolate, 2-15(-23) × 1-6(-8) cm, base usually tapered to acute or rounded, rarely cordate, margins antrorsely scabrous, apex acute to acuminate, faces glabrous or sparingly strigose, midveins glabrous or strigose, not glandular-punctate. Inflorescences terminal, ascending to erect, uninterrupted or interrupted proximally, 10-150 × 8-20 mm; peduncle 10-50 mm, glabrous or strigose to hirsute, often stipitate-glandular; ocreolae overlapping except sometimes proximal ones, margins ciliate with bristles to 1 mm. Pedicels ascending, 0.5-1.5 mm. Flowers bisexual or functionally unisexual, some plants having only staminate flowers, others with only pistillate flowers, 1-3(-4) per ocreate fascicle, heterostylous; perianth roseate to red, glabrous, not glandular-punctate, slightly accrescent; tepals 5, connate ca. 3 their lengths, obovate to elliptic, 4-6 mm, veins prominent, not anchor-shaped, margins entire, apex rounded to acute; stamens 5, included or exserted; anthers pink or red, elliptic; styles 2, included or exserted, connate 2- 3 their length. Achenes included, dark brown, biconvex, (2-)2.2-3 × (1.5-)1.8-2.6 mm, shiny or dull, smooth or minutely granular. 2n = 66, 132.

2900-3800 m

Erect, 30-80 cm tall, floating or submerged (amphibious), perennial herb. Stem floating, submerged or aerial, glabrous or sometime covered with stiff hairs, rooting at the nodes. Leaves 6-12 x 2-4 cm, elliptic-lanceolate or oblong, obtuse-acute, truncate or subcordate at base, petiolate or subsessile, petiole 4-10 cm long. Ochreae 10-20 mm long, truncate, glabrous or rarely sparsely ciliate-hispid. Inflorescence densely flowered, conical, 8-30 mm long, solitary raceme. Ochreolae 1-2 x c. 1 mm, ovate. Flowers pedicellate. Tepals 5, biseriate, bright red or pink, 2-2.5 x 1.5-2 mm narrowly elliptic. Stamens 5, exerted. Ovary oval, 1.3-2 mm long, with inserted or exserted styles, styles 2, 2-4 mm long, free, stigma capitate. Nuts 2.5-3.3 x 1.5-2.0 mm, ovoid or orbicular, shining, dark brown, inserted or slightly exerted with the base of style forming a persistent beak.

Herbs perennial, amphibious. Rhizomes horizontal. Aquatic plants: stems floating, glabrous, rooting at nodes; leaves long petiolate, floating; leaf blade oblong or elliptic, 5-12 × 2.5-4 cm, glabrous, base subcordate, margin entire, not ciliate, apex obtuse or slightly acute; ocrea tubular, thinly membranous, apex truncate, not ciliate. Terrestrial plants: stems erect, 40-60 cm tall, simple or branched at base. Petiole 3-5 mm; leaf blade lanceolate or oblong-lanceolate, 6-14 × 1.5-2 cm, both surfaces appressed-hispidulous, base rounded, margin entire, ciliate, apex acute; ocrea tubular, 1.5-2 cm, membranous, sparsely hirsute, apex truncate, shortly ciliate. Inflorescence terminal or axillary, spicate, 2-4 cm; bracts broadly funnel-shaped. Perianth pinkish or white, 5-parted; tepals oblong, 3-4 mm. Stamens usually 5, included. Styles 2, exserted, connate to middle; stigmas capitate. Achenes included in persistent perianth, black, shiny, orbicular, biconvex, 2.5-3 mm in diam. Fl. Jul-Aug, fr. Aug-Sep. 2n = 66, 96.

Polygonum amphibium Linnaeus, Sp. Pl. 1: 361. 1753; Persicaria amphibia (Linnaeus) Gray var. emersa (Michaux) J. C. Hickman; P. amphibia var. stipulacea (N. Coleman) H. Hara; P. coccinea (Muhlenberg ex Willdenow) Greene; P. hartwrightii (A. Gray) Greene; P. muhlenbergia (S. Watson) Small; Polygonum amphibium var. emersum Michaux; P. amphibium subsp. laevimarginatum Hultén; P. amphibium var. natans Michaux; P. amphibium var. stipulaceum N. Coleman; P. coccineum Muhlenberg ex Willdenow; P. coccineum var. pratincola (Greene) Stanford; P. coccineum var. rigidulum (E. Sheldon) Stanford; P. emersum (Michaux) Britton; P. hartwrightii A. Gray; P. natans (Michaux) Eaton

Polygonum amphibium L., Sp. Pl. 361. 1753; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. Ind. 5: 34. 1886; Rech.f. & Schiman-Czeika in Rech.f., Fl. Iran. 56: 56. 1968; R.R.Stewart, Ann. Cat. Vasc. Pl. W. Pak. & Kashm. 203. 1972; Bhopal & Chaudhri in Pak. Syst. 1(2): 76. 1977; Polygonum amphibium var. natans Leyss., Fl. Hall. 391. 1761; var. terrestre Leyss. l.c.; Polygonum pusporium Gilib. Exerc. Phytol. 2: 433. 1792; Polygonum amurense Niewalnd in Amer.Midl. Nat. 2: 183. 1821; Persicaria amphibia (L.) S. F. Gray var. natans (Leyss.) Munshi & Javeid, l.c. 63 and var. terrestre (Leyss.) Munshi & Javeid, l.c.

Persicaria amphibia (Linnaeus) S. F. Gray; P. amphibia var. terrestris (Leysser) Munshi & Javeid; P. amurensis (Korshinsky) Nieuwland; P. muhlenbergii (Meisner) Small; Polygonum amphibium var. amurense Korshinsky; P. amphibium var. muhlenbergii Meisner; P. amphibium var. natans Michaux; P. amphibium var. terrestre Leysser; P. amphibium var. vestitum Hemsley.

Shallow water, shorelines of ponds and lakes, banks of rivers and streams, moist prairies and meadows; 0-3000m.

In ponds, riverbanks, wet fields, waste areas; sea level to 3700 m.

Comments: Shallow lakes, streams, shores; <300 m. This variety grows on land or is strongly emergent from shallow water, and does not produce floating leaves or shoots.

Grows between 800-4500 m.

In Great Britain and/or Ireland:
Foodplant / parasite
cleistothecium of Erysiphe polygoni parasitises live Persicaria amphibia

Foodplant / saprobe
stalked apothecium of Hymenoscyphus scutula is saprobic on dead, lying in water stem of Persicaria amphibia
Remarks: season: 9-11
Other: uncertain

Foodplant / feeds on
larva of Phytobius quadricorniger feeds on Persicaria amphibia

Foodplant / feeds on
larva of Phytobius quadrinodosus feeds on Persicaria amphibia

Foodplant / saprobe
immersed perithecium of Plagiostoma devexum is saprobic on dead stem of Persicaria amphibia

Foodplant / parasite
amphigenous telium of Puccinia polygoni-amphibii var. polygoni-amphibii parasitises live leaf of Persicaria amphibia

Foodplant / saprobe
erumpent apothecium of Pyrenopeziza polygoni is saprobic on dead stem of Persicaria amphibia
Remarks: season: 7

Foodplant / feeds on
larva of Rhinoncus albicinctus feeds on Persicaria amphibia

Foodplant / feeds on
larva of Rhinoncus inconspectus feeds on Persicaria amphibia

Foodplant / gall
Wachtliella persicariae causes gall of leaf of Persicaria amphibia

Flowering Jun-Sep.

Fl. Per.: June-September.

The following is a representative barcode sequence, the centroid of all available sequences for this species.

Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLDS) Stats
Public Records: 6
Specimens with Barcodes: 12
Species With Barcodes: 1

Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLDS) Stats
Public Records: 9
Specimens with Barcodes: 14
Species With Barcodes: 1

Rounded Global Status Rank: T5 - Secure

Rounded Global Status Rank: G5 - Secure

Canada

Rounded National Status Rank: N5 - Secure

United States

Rounded National Status Rank: N5 - Secure

Canada

Rounded National Status Rank: N5 - Secure

United States

Rounded National Status Rank: NNR - Unranked

Rounded Global Status Rank: T5 - Secure

Reasons: Widspread in North America and Eurasia.

Canada

Rounded National Status Rank: N5 - Secure

United States

Rounded National Status Rank: N5 - Secure