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Image of <i>Polygonum douglasii</i> ssp. <i>johnstonii</i>
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Douglas' Knotweed

Polygonum douglasii Greene

Comments

provided by eFloras
Five taxa that have been included in Polygonum douglasii (E. Murray 1982; J. C. Hickman 1984; J. T. Kartesz and K. N. Gandhi 1990) are treated here as distinct species: P. austiniae, P. majus, P. nuttallii, P. sawatchense, and P. spergulariiforme. Hickman noted extensive intergradation and numerous intermediate specimens among those sympatric elements, but qualitative or quantitative characters allow reliable discrimination in most cases (M. Costea and F. J. Tardif 2005), and species are here circumscribed similar to C. L. Hitchcock (1964).

Greene described var. latifolium as having leaf blades and achenes broader than those of var. douglasii. C. L. Hitchcock (1964) recognized the former, but the characters used to distinguish it appear to vary continuously, and reliable separation is not possible.

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Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Boulevard, St. Louis, MO, 63110 USA
bibliographic citation
Flora of North America Vol. 5 in eFloras.org, Missouri Botanical Garden. Accessed Nov 12, 2008.
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Flora of North America @ eFloras.org
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Flora of North America Editorial Committee
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Description

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Herbs. Stems erect, green, simple or branched, not wiry, 5-80 cm, glabrous or sparsely papillose-scabridulous. Leaves uniformly distributed, articulated to ocreae, basal leaves caducous, distal leaves abruptly reduced to bracts; ocrea 6-12 mm, glabrous or minutely papillose-scabridulous, proximal part cylindric, distal part hyaline, lacerate; petiole 0.1-2 mm; blade 1-veined, not pleated, linear, narrow-oblong, or oblanceolate, 15-55 × 2-8(-12) mm, margins revolute, smooth or papillose-denticulate; apex acute to mucronate. Inflorescences axillary and terminal, spikelike, elongate; cymes widely spaced along branches, 2-4-flowered. Pedicels mostly exserted from ocreae, reflexed, 2-6 mm. Flowers closed; perianth 3-4.5 mm; tube 20-28% of perianth length; tepals overlapping, green to tannish with white or pink margins, petaloid, oblong, cucullate, navicular, apex rounded; midveins usually branched, rarely unbranched; stamens 8. Achenes enclosed in perianth, black, elliptic or oblong to ovate, 3-4(-4.5) mm, faces subequal, shiny or dull, smooth or minutely striate-tubercled.
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cc-by-nc-sa-3.0
copyright
Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Boulevard, St. Louis, MO, 63110 USA
bibliographic citation
Flora of North America Vol. 5 in eFloras.org, Missouri Botanical Garden. Accessed Nov 12, 2008.
source
Flora of North America @ eFloras.org
editor
Flora of North America Editorial Committee
project
eFloras.org
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eFloras

Distribution

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Alta., B.C., Man., Ont., Que., Sask., Yukon; Ariz., Calif., Colo., Idaho, Iowa, Mich., Minn., Mont., Nebr., Nev., N.H., N.Mex., N.Y., Oreg., S.Dak., Utah, Vt., Va., Wash., Wyo.
license
cc-by-nc-sa-3.0
copyright
Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Boulevard, St. Louis, MO, 63110 USA
bibliographic citation
Flora of North America Vol. 5 in eFloras.org, Missouri Botanical Garden. Accessed Nov 12, 2008.
source
Flora of North America @ eFloras.org
editor
Flora of North America Editorial Committee
project
eFloras.org
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eFloras

Flowering/Fruiting

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Flowering Jun-Oct.
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Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Boulevard, St. Louis, MO, 63110 USA
bibliographic citation
Flora of North America Vol. 5 in eFloras.org, Missouri Botanical Garden. Accessed Nov 12, 2008.
source
Flora of North America @ eFloras.org
editor
Flora of North America Editorial Committee
project
eFloras.org
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Habitat

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Dry, often disturbed places, rock outcrops, sandy ground; 300-3000m.
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cc-by-nc-sa-3.0
copyright
Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Boulevard, St. Louis, MO, 63110 USA
bibliographic citation
Flora of North America Vol. 5 in eFloras.org, Missouri Botanical Garden. Accessed Nov 12, 2008.
source
Flora of North America @ eFloras.org
editor
Flora of North America Editorial Committee
project
eFloras.org
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eFloras

Synonym

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Polygonum douglasii var. latifolium (Engelmann) Greene; P. emaciatum A. Nelson; P. montanum (Small) Greene; P. tenue Michaux var. commune Engelmann; P. tenue var. latifolium Engelmann
license
cc-by-nc-sa-3.0
copyright
Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Boulevard, St. Louis, MO, 63110 USA
bibliographic citation
Flora of North America Vol. 5 in eFloras.org, Missouri Botanical Garden. Accessed Nov 12, 2008.
source
Flora of North America @ eFloras.org
editor
Flora of North America Editorial Committee
project
eFloras.org
original
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eFloras

Polygonum douglasii

provided by wikipedia EN

Polygonum douglasii is a species of flowering plant in the knotweed family known by the common name Douglas's knotweed. It is native to much of northern and western North America, where it can be found in many types of habitat, including disturbed areas. It has been found in Canada from British Columbia north to Yukon and east as far as Québec, and in the United States as far south as California, New Mexico, Iowa, and New York.[3]

Polygonum douglasii is known as a species complex, as there are many subspecies that may be better treated as species in their own right.[4][5][1]

Polygonum douglasii is variable in morphology and the subspecies are often difficult to distinguish. In general, plants in this complex are annual herbs growing erect to maximum heights anywhere between 3 and 80 centimeters (1.2–32 inches) with thin, angular stems. High-elevation plants are smaller and sometimes trailing on the surface of the ground. The leaves are linear or widely lance-shaped, sometimes falling away to leave the plant mostly naked in flowering, or reduced to tiny scales at the stem tips. The flowers are a few millimeters long, pink to white, sometimes remaining closed or opening together in a cluster.[6][2]

References

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Polygonum douglasii: Brief Summary

provided by wikipedia EN

Polygonum douglasii is a species of flowering plant in the knotweed family known by the common name Douglas's knotweed. It is native to much of northern and western North America, where it can be found in many types of habitat, including disturbed areas. It has been found in Canada from British Columbia north to Yukon and east as far as Québec, and in the United States as far south as California, New Mexico, Iowa, and New York.

Polygonum douglasii is known as a species complex, as there are many subspecies that may be better treated as species in their own right.

Polygonum douglasii is variable in morphology and the subspecies are often difficult to distinguish. In general, plants in this complex are annual herbs growing erect to maximum heights anywhere between 3 and 80 centimeters (1.2–32 inches) with thin, angular stems. High-elevation plants are smaller and sometimes trailing on the surface of the ground. The leaves are linear or widely lance-shaped, sometimes falling away to leave the plant mostly naked in flowering, or reduced to tiny scales at the stem tips. The flowers are a few millimeters long, pink to white, sometimes remaining closed or opening together in a cluster.

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Wikipedia authors and editors
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wikipedia EN