Contains 17 accepted taxa overall.
Characteristics
Classification
Citation
PERSICARIA (Linnaeus) Miller, Gard. Dict. Abr., ed. 4. 1754.
BASIONYM: Polygonum Linnaeus, sect. Persicaria Linnaeus, Sp. Pl. 360. 1753.
TYPE: Persicaria maculosa Gray 1821. (Polygonum persicaria Linnaeus 1753.) Typified by Britton & A. Brown, Ill. Fl. N. U.S., ed. 2. 1: 665. 1913.

Species
Scientific Name | Common Name | Herbarium Specimens | Status | Photos |
---|---|---|---|---|
Persicaria amphibia ssp. laevimarginata | Water Smartweed | |||
Persicaria arifolia | Halberd-leaf Tearthumb | |||
Persicaria densiflora | Dense-flower Smartweed | |||
Persicaria extremiorientalis | East Asian Smartweed | |||
Persicaria hirsuta | Hairy Smartweed | |||
Persicaria hydropiper | Common Smartweed, Waterpepper, Marshpepper Smartweed | |||
Persicaria hydropiperoides | Waterpepper | |||
Persicaria lapathifolia | Willow-weed, Dockleaf Smartweed, Pale Smartweed | |||
Persicaria longiseta | Longbristle Smartweed, Bristly Lady’s-thumb | |||
Persicaria maculosa | Lady's-thumb, Heart's-ease | |||
Persicaria meisneriana var. beyrichiana | Mexican Tearthumb | |||
Persicaria orientalis | Kiss-me-over-the-garden-gate, Prince's-feather, Prince's-plume | |||
Persicaria pensylvanica | Pinkweed, Common Smartweed, Pennsylvania Smartweed | |||
Persicaria punctata | Dotted Smartweed | |||
Persicaria sagittata | Arrowleaf Tearthumb, Arrowvine, Scratch-grass | |||
Persicaria setacea | Swamp Smartweed | |||
Persicaria virginiana | Jumpseed |
Identification Key
1. Stems with recurved prickles
2
1. Stems without prickles
4
2. Leaf blade broadly hastate, hastate-cordate, to triangular; tepals 4
2. Leaf blade linear-lanceolate to oblong; tepals 5
3
3. Leaves subsessile to sessile, the blade base cordate, truncate, to cuneate; peduncle glandular-stipitate, at least distally
3. Leaves petiolate (becoming subsessile distally), the blade base cordate to sagittate; peduncle eglandular
4. Styles exserted, persistent on achenes; inflorescences spikelike, interrupted
4. Styles included, rarely exserted, deciduous; inflorescences capitate, paniclelike, or spikelike, uninterrupted or interrupted
5
5. Petiole winged, auriculate; inflorescence capitate
5. Petiole not winged nor auriculate; inflorescence spiciform
6
6. Ocrea eciliate or the cilia <0.5 mm long
7
6. Ocrea ciliate with bristles 1-12 mm long
9
7. Rhizomatous perennial; peduncles glabrous to sparsely setose below the flowers; achene biconvex
7. Annual; peduncles usually stipitate-glandular; achene discoid or concave
8
8. Inflorescence usually arching or nodding; tepals usually 4; outer tepals with prominent distally bifurcate anchor-shaped veins
8. Inflorescence usually erect; tepals usually 5; outer tepals without anchor-shaped veins
9. Upper stem and peduncles stipitate-glandular
9. Upper stem and peduncles not stipitate-glandular
10
10. Stem hirsute, at least near the inflorescence
11
10. Stem glabrous to appressed pubescent
12
11. Ocrea without a broad herbaceous flange; petiole 0.1-0.3 cm long; leaf blades linear-lanceolate
11. Ocrea with a broad green-herbaceous flange; petiole 1-9 cm long; leaf blades broadly ovate
12. Tepals uniformly glandular-punctate
12. Tepals not glandular, or rarely sparse on the base of inner tepals
13
13. Annual; ocreolae of the inflorescence not overlapping, or only overlapping distally
14
13. Rhizomatous perennial; ocreolae of the inflorescence overlapping
15
14. Ocrea surface with stiff ascending-appressed hairs, the cilia at the apex 1-7 mm long; leaf blade 0.5-2 cm wide, the upper surface glabrous; tepals white, pink, to greenish
14. Ocrea surface with flexuous spreading hairs, the cilia at the apex 5-15 mm long; leaf blades 1.5-4 cm wide, the upper surface puberulent when young; tepals white
15. Inflorescence ocreolae (0.5)1-4(6) mm long, subequal to the tube
15. Inflorescence ocreolae 0.2-1.3(2) mm long, shorter than the tube
Genus Synonyms
Synonym | Full Citation | Basionym | Type |
---|---|---|---|
No synonyms found. |