Contains 12 accepted taxa overall.
Characteristics
Classification
Citation
POLYGONUM Linnaeus, Sp. Pl. 359. 1753.
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TYPE: Polygonum aviculare Linnaeus, typ. cons.
Species
| Scientific Name | Common Name | Herbarium Specimens | Status | Photos |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Polygonum argyrocoleon | SILVERSHEATH KNOTWEED | Not Native OBL (NWPL) | ||
| Polygonum aviculare | PROSTRATE KNOTWEED | Not Native FAC (NWPL) | ||
| Polygonum basiramia | FLORIDA JOINTWEED; TUFTED WIREWEED | Native Rare-State Endangered-US | ||
| Polygonum delopyrum | HAIRY JOINTWEED | Native | ||
| Polygonum dentoceras | SMALL'S JOINTWEED; WOODY WIREWEED; SANDLACE | Native Rare-State Endangered-US | ||
| Polygonum fimbriatum | SANDHILL JOINTWEED | Native | ||
| Polygonum glaucum | GLAUCOUS KNOTWEED | Native FACU (NWPL) | ||
| Polygonum nesomii | LARGEFLOWER JOINTWEED; SANDHILL WIREWEED | Native | ||
| Polygonum pinicola | TALL JOINTWEED | Native | ||
| Polygonum polygamum var. brachystachyum | OCTOBER FLOWER | Native | ||
| Polygonum polygamum var. polygamum | OCTOBER FLOWER | Native | ||
| Polygonum smallianum | LARGELEAF JOINTWEED | Native Threatened-State |
Identification Key
1. Branches appearing directly from the node, not adnate to the stem
2
1. Branch bases adnate to the stem, appearing to arise above the node (Polygonella)
4
2. Stem mostly erect; flowers mostly in terminal, loose, leafy spiciform inflorescences with the distal flowers subtended by leaves subequal to shorter than the flowers
2. Stem prostrate to erect; flowers axillary, with the distal flowers subtended by leaves much longer than the flowers
3
3. Ocrea not pruinose at the base; tepals appressed in fruit; achene dull, tuberculate
3. Ocrea pruinose at the base; tepals ascending-spreading in fruit; achene shiny, smooth
4. Ocrea ciliate at the apex; leaves linear with an acute to acuminate apex
5
4. Ocrea lacking cilia at the apex; leaves generally linear-spatulate to spatulate with an obtuse to rounded apex
8
5. Leaves narrowly linear, usually <1.3 mm wide; inner tepal margin entire to erose; filaments dimorphic
6
5. Leaves linear, larger ones usually 1-3 mm wide; inner tepal margin fimbriate; filaments monomorphic
7
6. Plant with multiple stems at the base of the plant
6. Plant with one main stem at the base of the plant (Polygonella ciliata)
7. Plant 10-60 cm tall; stem minutely scabrous below the inflorescence; leaves without hyaline margins
7. Plant 35-110 cm tall; stem smooth to sparsely scabrous along the angles below the inflorescence; leaves with hyaline margins (Polygonella robusta)
8. Larger leaf blades (3)8-30 mm wide (Polygonella macrophylla)
8. Larger leaf blades 0.3-6(8) mm wide
9
9. Larger leaf blades 16-40(65) mm long (often nearly leafless or with few at maturity); inflorescence (13)20-40 mm long (Polygonella gracilis)
9. Larger leaf blades 4-16(36) mm long (usually abundantly leafy at maturity); inflorescence 4-20(33) mm long
10
10. Plant prostrate; leaf margin not hyaline; stigma and style 0.5-0.8 mm long (Polygonella myriophylla)
10. Plant erect to decumbent; leaf margin hyaline distally; stigma and style ca. 0.1 mm long
11
11. Larger leaf blades 0.5-1.5(2) mm wide
11. Larger leaf blades (2)3-6 mm wide
Genus Synonyms
| Synonym | Full Citation | Basionym | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avicularia | Avicularia (Meisner) Börner, Abh. Naturwiss. Vereine Bremen 21: 277. 1912. | BASIONYM: Polygonum Linnaeus, sect. Avicularia Meisner, Monogr. Polyg. 85. 1836. | TYPE: = Polygonum Linnaeus 1753. |
| Centinodium | Centinodium Friche-Joset & Montandon, Syn. Fl. Jura 270. 1856. | TYPE: Centinodium axillare Friche-Joset & Montandon 1856, nom. illegit. (Polygonum aviculare Linnaeus 1753.) = Polygonum Linnaeus 1753. | |
| Cnopos | Cnopos Rafinesque, Fl. Tellur. 3: 13. 1837 ("1836"). | TYPE: Cnopos ramosissimum (Michaux) Rafinesque (Polygonum ramosissimum Michaux) | |
| Delopyrum | Delopyrum Small, Fl. Miami 65. 1913. | TYPE: Non designatus. | |
| Dentoceras | Dentoceras Small, Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 51: 388. 1924. | TYPE: Dentoceras myriophylla Small 1924. | |
| Gonopyrum | Gonopyrum Fischer & C. A. Meyer ex C. A. Meyer, Mem. Acad. Imp. Sci. Saint-Petersbourg, ser. 6, Sci. Math., Seconde Pt. Sci. Nat. 6: 144. 1840 ("1845"). | TYPE: Gonopyrum americanum Fischer & C. A. Meyer ex C. A. Meyer 1840. | |
| Lyonella | Lyonella Rafinesque, Amer. Monthly Mag. & Crit. Rev. 2: 266. 1818. | TYPE: = Polygonella Michaux 1803. | |
| Lyonia | Lyonia Rafinesque, Med. Repos., ser. 2. 5: 353. 1808, nom. rej. vs. Lyonia Nuttall 1818. | TYPE: Polygonella parvifolia Michaux 1803. = Polygonella Michaux 1803. | |
| Phyllepidum | Phyllepidum Rafinesque, Med. Repos., ser. 2. 5: 356. 1808. | TYPE: Phyllepidum squarrosum Rafinesque 1808. | |
| Pleurostena | Pleurostena Rafinesque, Fl. Tellur. 3: 15. 1837 ("1836"). | TYPE: Pleurostena serotina (Rafinesque) Rafinesque 1837. (Polygonum serotinum Rafinesque 1820.) | |
| Pleurostena | Pleurostena Rafinesque, Fl. Tellur. 3: 12. 1837 ("1836"). | TYPE: Pleurostena serotina (Rafinesque) Rafinesque (Polygonum serotinum Rafinesque) | |
| Polygonella | Polygonella Michaux, Fl. Bor.-Amer. 2: 240. 1803. | TYPE: Polygonella parvifolia Michaux 1803. | |
| Psammogonum | Psammogonum Nieuwland, Amer. Midl. Naturalist 3: 171. 1914. | TYPE: Psammogonum americanum (Fischer & C. A. Meyer) Nieuwland 1914. (Gonopyrum americanum Fischer & C. A. Meyer 1840.) Superfluous substitute name for Gonopyrum Fischer & C. A. Meyer ex C. A. Meyer 1840. = Gonopyrum Fischer & C. A. Meyer ex C. A. Meyer 1840. | |
| Spermaulaxen | Spermaulaxen Rafinesque, Fl. Tellur. 3: 13. 1837 ("1836"). | TYPE: Spermaulaxen dichotomus Rafinesque 1837. | |
| Stopinaca | Stopinaca Rafinesque, Fl. Tellur. 3: 11. 1837 ("1836"). | TYPE: = Polygonella Michaux 1803. | |
| Sunania | Sunania Rafinesque, Fl. Tellur. 3: 95. 1837 ("1836"). | TYPE: Sunania filiformis (Thunberg) Rafinesque (Polygonum filiforme Thunberg) | |
| Thysanella | Thysanella A. Gray, Boston J. Nat. Hist. 5: 232. 1845. | TYPE: Thysanella fimbriata (Elliott) A. Gray 1845. (Polygonum fimbriatum Elliott 1824.) |