PERSICARIA DECIPIENS

Family and Genus:- See- POLYGONACEAE/Sect. PERSICARIA.

Common Names:- None

Homotypic Synonyms:- Persicaria salicifolia, Polygonum decipiens,

Polygonum salicifolium, Polygonum serratulum.

Meaning:- Persicaria (Gr) Peach-like, reference to the leaves.

Decipiens (L) Misleading, deceiving.

General description:- Perennial, with rooting, procumbent or decumbent

branches.

Stems:-

1) Up to 120 cm tall; ascending, rather stout,

a) lower part, procumbent and rooting in mud or shallow water.

Ochreae:-

1) Membranous, brownish, appressed-pubescent, with long, coarse cilia on the

upper margin.

Leaves:-

1) Short-petiolate;

a) blade, 5-15 x 0.5-1.5 cm, narrowly lanceolate, ciliate on the margins and

veins.

Flowers:-

1) In a slender spike, 3-8 cm, lax at base.

2) Perianth segments, 2.5-3 mm, pink to white.

Fruit:-

1) Nut, 2-2·5 mm, black, glossy, usually trigonous.

Key features:-

1) Ochreae, conspicuously ciliate

2) Usually perennial, with epigeal stolons or rooting, decumbent branches;

3) Large leaves, often 10 cm or more.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Muddy habitats in river deltas, by channels, ponds and ditches in

agricultural areas. 0-200(-600) m.

Distribution:- Scattered in mainland Greece mainland Peloponnisos and Ionian

Islands usually near the coast. - Widespread in the Mediterranean region, Africa

and Australasia. Rare on Crete and currently known from only a few locations in the

west.

Flowering time:- May-Sept.

Photos by:- Courtesy of Wiki-Commons