Family: Polygonaceae
Polygonum lapathifolium
Citation:
L., Sp. Pl. 360 (1753).
Synonymy: P. lanigerum R. Br., Prod. Fl. Nov. Holl. 419 (1810); P. lapathifolium L. var. lanigerum (R. Br.)F. Muell. (ined.?, cf. Jacobs & Pickard (1981) Plants of N.S.W.).
Common name: Pale (or pink) knotweed.
Description:
Tall stout annual to c. 1 m high, branching, with or without a dense soft white tomentum on stem and leaves; leaves lanceolate or broad-lanceolate, petiolate, acuminate, 7-18 X 1.5-3.5 cm, gland-dotted and prominently nerved below, scabrous with appressed hairs on midrib and margins (or white-tomentose); stipular sheaths truncate, ribbed, ciliate or not.
Flowers in dense rather thick spikes 2-7 cm long and longer than their peduncles, forming terminal panicles; perianths pedicels and peduncles more or less glandular; bracts small, truncate; style 2-branched.
Nut compressed, smooth, flat or concave on both faces, the edges obtuse, c. 2 mm long.
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Image source: fig. 98c in Jessop J.P. & Toelken H.R. (Ed.) 1986. Flora of South Australia (4th edn).
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Published illustration:
Cunningham et al. (1982) Plants of western New South Wales, p. 232.
Distribution:
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N.T.; Qld; N.S.W.; Vic.; Tas. New Zealand; Africa.
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Conservation status:
native
Flowering time: throughout the year.
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SA Distribution Map based
on current data relating to
specimens held in the
State Herbarium of South Australia
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Biology:
No text
Taxonomic notes:
Many authors have treated P. lanigerum and P. lapathifolium as separate (e.g. J. Willis (1972) A handbook to plants in Victoria 1), but more recently the two have been combined (e.g. Jacobs and Pickard (1981) Plants of N. S.W.).
Author:
Not yet available
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