Volume 14 > Part 1 > Year 2018 > Page 130 > Polygonaceae > Persicaria

4. Persicaria chinensis (L.) H.Grosswfo-0001245503

Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 49(2): 269. 1913; Grierson & D.G.Long, Fl. Bhutan 1(1): 163. 1983; H.Hara, Fl. E. Himalaya: 70. 1966; Kantachot et al., Thai Forest Bull., Bot. 38: 133. 2010.—Polygonum chinense L., Sp. Pl. 1: 363. 1753; Lour., Fl. Cochinch. 1: 241. 1790; Meisn., Monogr. Polyg.: 60. 1826; Meisn. In Wall., Pl. Asiat. Rar. 3: 60. 1832; Meisn. In DC., Prodr. 14(1): 130. 1856; Hook.f., Fl. Brit. India 5: 44. 1886; Trimen, Handb. Fl. Ceylon 3: 413. 1895; Courchet, Fl. Indo-Chine [P.H.Lecomte et al.] 5: 37. 1910; Craib, Contr. Fl. Siam, Dicot.: 173. 1912; Merr., Enum. Philipp. Fl. Pl. 2: 122. 1923; Ridl., Fl. Malay. Penins. 3: 12. 1924; Steward, Contr. Gray Herb. 88: 70. 1930; K.Larsen, Dansk Bot. Arkiv 20(1–4): 52. 1961; Backer & Bakh.f., Fl. Java 1: 223. 1963; P.H.Hô, Câyco Việtnam 1(2): 944. 1991; Philcox in Dassan. & Clayton, Revis. Handb. Fl. Ceylon 11: 400. 1997; A.J.Li et al. in C.Y. Wu et al., Fl. China 5: 300. 2003; N.T.Do in Bân, Fl. Vietnam 11: 148. 2007.

Accepted Name : This is currently accepted.

Description : Erect or sometimes scandent herbs, up to 2.5 m tall; stem and branches terete, glabrous, sparsely pubescent or hispid. Leaves with petioles (2.5–)3–20(–25) mm long, glabrous, moderately pubescent or hispid, sometimes auricles present; lamina ovate or elliptic, (4–)6–14.5(–16.5) by (2–)3.5–10.5(–11.5) cm, apex acute, acuminate or cuspidate, base cuneate, cordate or cuneate-attenuate, margin entire or undulate, rarely with ciliate hairs, glabrous or hispid on both surfaces, primary vein glabrous or densely to moderately hispid on both surface; secondary veins (7–)10–16-paired, with 1–2 or without intramarginal vein. Ocreae cylindrical, (–2) 3–4.5 cm long, scarious, glabrous or densely to moderately hispid, venation conspicuous with 8–12(–14) veins, apex oblique, without bristles. Inflorescences terminal and axillary, capitate panicle, (4.5–)6–15(–19.5) cm long, erect; inflorescence branches glabrous or densely to moderately hispid hairs; capitula 4–11 mm long, globose; leafy bracts 1.5–5(–6) by (0.5–)1–2 cm, sessile or subsessile, ovate or elliptic, apex acute, margin entire, subtending globose head branches, ovate, base truncate-amplexus or cordate-amplexus. Flowers 2–3 in an ocreola; pedicels 0.5–3 mm long, glabrous; bracteoles 1.5–4 mm long; ocreolae incompletely enclosing rachis, 1.5–5(–6) mm long, glabrous or sparsely hispid hairs, apex obtuse, acute to acuminate, margin entire without hispid hairs and bristles. Tepals 5, white or pink; lobes 2–4(–4.5) by 1–2.5(–3) mm, elliptic, ovate or ovate-elliptic, apex obtuse or obtuse-acute, veins 3–6; tube 1–2 mm long, glandular nectaries 8. Stamens 8; in two whorls, outer ones 0.5–3.5 mm long, inner ones 1–4.5 mm long; anthers white or purple. Styles 3, 1–2.5 mm long; stigmas capitate, white. Fruits with thick fleshy perianth, globose, 2.5–5 mm in diam., black.