Polygonum argyrocoleon Steud. ex Kunze

Silversheath knotweed (en)

Species

Angiosperms > Caryophyllales > Polygonaceae > Polygonum

Characteristics

Plants green, heterophyllous. Stems erect or decumbent, branched mostly from base, not wiry, 15-100 cm. Leaves: ocrea 4-8 mm, proximal part cylindric, distal part soon disintegrating into curly or straight fibers; petiole 0-1.5 mm; blade bluish green, lanceolate or linear-lanceolate, 15-50 × 2-8 mm, margins flat, apex acute; stem leaves 2.1-4 times as long as branch leaves; distal leaves abruptly reduced and not overtopping flowers (shorter than or equaling flowers). Inflorescence axillary and terminal, spikelike; cymes aggregated at tips of stems and branches, 4-6-flowered, bracts inconspicuous. Pedicels enclosed in ocreae, 1-2 mm. Flowers closed; perianth 1.8-2.4 mm; tube 10-22% of perianth length; tepals overlapping, green or white, usually with pink, rarely red or white, margins, petaloid, not keeled, oblong to obovate, cucullate; midveins usually unbranched; stamens 7-8. Achenes enclosed in perianth, brown, ovate, 3-gonous, 1.3-2.3 mm, faces subequal, slightly concave, apex not beaked, with concave edges, shiny, smooth; late-season achenes unknown.
More
Herbs annual. Stems erect, 50-80 cm tall, glabrous, angulate, much branched; branches ascending, fastigiate, nodes inflated, internodes 3-5 cm. Leaves caducous; petiole short, articulate at base; leaf blade usually caducous, lanceolate or linear-lanceolate, 1.5-4 cm × 6-8 mm, both surfaces with conspicuous veins, base narrowly cuneate, apex acute; ocrea lower part brown, upper part white, tubular, membranous, 6-8-veined, lacerate at apex. Inflorescence terminal, spicate, interrupted. Pedicel slender, articulate at apex. Perianth green, margin pinkish or white, 5-parted; tepals elliptic, ca. 2 mm. Stamens 7 or 8; filaments dilated at base. Styles 3; stigmas capitate. Achenes included in persistent perianth, brown, shiny, ovoid, trigonous, 2-2.5 mm, smooth. Fl. Jun-Jul, fr. Jul-Aug.
A herb. It grows each year from seed. The stems are erect and 50-80 cm tall. They are angular and branch. They are inflated at the nodes.
Life form annual
Growth form herb
Growth support free-standing
Foliage retention deciduous
Sexuality hermaphrodite
Pollination -
Spread -
Mature width (meter) -
Mature height (meter) 0.5 - 0.8
Root system -
Rooting depth (meter) -
Root diameter (meter) -
Flower color
Blooming months
JanFebMar
AprMayJun
JulAugSep
OctNovDec
Fruit color -
Fruiting months
JanFebMar
AprMayJun
JulAugSep
OctNovDec
Nitrogen fixer -
Photosynthetic pathway -

Environment

It is a temperate plant. In northern China it grows between 200-2,500 m above sea level.
Light -
Soil humidity -
Soil texture 5-6
Soil acidity -
Soil nutriment -
Hardiness (USDA) 4-10

Usage

The seeds are parched, ground and eaten.
Uses -
Edible seeds
Therapeutic use -
Human toxicity -
Animal toxicity -

Cultivation

Mode -
Germination duration (days) 21 - 60
Germination temperacture (C°) 21 - 23
Germination luminosity -
Germination treatment -
Minimum temperature (C°) -
Optimum temperature (C°) -
Size -
Vigor -
Productivity -

Images

Polygonum argyrocoleon unspecified picture

Distribution

Polygonum argyrocoleon world distribution map, present in China, Pakistan, and United States of America

Conservation status

Polygonum argyrocoleon threat status: Least Concern

Identifiers

LSID urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:695387-1
WFO ID wfo-0001101017
COL ID 785VL
BDTFX ID -
INPN ID -
Wikipedia (EN) Link
Wikipedia (FR)

Synonyms

Polygonum argyrocoleon Polygonum deciduum