About
Contact
Links
Electronic Flora of South Australia
Electronic Flora of South Australia
Census of SA Plants, Algae & Fungi
Identification tools
 

Electronic Flora of South Australia species Fact Sheet

Family: Polygonaceae
Polygonum aviculare

Citation: L., Sp. Pl. 1:362 (1753).

Synonymy: Not Applicable

Common name: Wireweed, hogweed, (prostrate) knotweed.

Description:
Glabrous annual, with long stiff wiry stems, prostrate on open ground, to c. 1 m long; leaves oblong-lanceolate, 1-4 cm long, 0.1-0.8 cm wide, with lateral nerves conspicuous on the undersurface; stipules long, lacerate, silvery.

Flowers white or pink, in axillary clusters of 1-4.

Nut trigonous, reddish-black, dull, minutely granular, c. 2.5 mm long.

image of FSA1_Polygonum_avi.jpg
Image source: fig. 98a in Jessop J.P. & Toelken H.R. (Ed.) 1986. Flora of South Australia (4th edn).

Published illustration: Cunningham et al. (1982) Plants of western New South Wales, p. 231.

Distribution:  S.Aust.: LE, GT, FR, EA, EP, NL, MU, YP, SL, KI, SE.   All mainland States.   Native to Europe; naturalised widely, including New Zealand.

Conservation status: naturalised

Flowering time: Nov. — May.


SA Distribution Map based
on current data relating to
specimens held in the
State Herbarium of South Australia

Biology: No text

Taxonomic notes: As defined here, this species probably includes several entities which should be recognised, including for example P. arenastrum Jordon ex Boreau, which has been recorded in all other States except N.T. and Qld.

Author: Not yet available


Disclaimer Copyright Disclaimer Copyright Email Contact:
State Herbarium of South Australia
Government of South Australia Government of South Australia Government of South Australia Department for Environment and Water