Persicaria

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Persicaria
Persicaria capitata
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Caryophyllales Family: Polygonaceae Genus: Persicaria Mill.
Species
See text

Flowering spike of Persicaria maculata

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.

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 bistorta – bistort (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 hydropiper – water-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 odoratum – Vietnamese coriander (Persicaria odorata)
• Polygonum orientale (Persicaria orientalis)
• Polygonum pensylvanicum – Pennsylvania smartweed or pink knotweed or pinkweed (Persicaria pensylvanica)
• Polygonum persicaria – redshank 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 viviparum – alpine bistort (Persicaria vivipara)
• Polygonum wallichii – Himalayan knotweed (Persicaria wallichii)
• Polygonum weyrichii (Persicaria weyrichii)

Gallery

Persicaria glabra in Narsapur, Medak district, India.

Persicaria glabra in Narsapur, Medak district, India.

Persicaria glabra in Narsapur, Medak district, India.

Wikispecies has information related to: Persicaria

Wikibooks' A Wikimanual of Gardening has more about this subject: smartweeds

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