Contains 16 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 | Status | Photos |
|---|---|---|---|
| Persicaria arifolia | HALBERDLEAF TEARTHUMB | Native OBL (NWPL) | |
| Persicaria capitata | PINKHEAD SMARTWEED | Not Native FACU (NWPL) | |
| Persicaria careyi | CAREY'S KNOTWEED | Not Native FACW (NWPL) OBL (DEP) | |
| Persicaria glabra | DENSEFLOWER KNOTWEED | Native OBL (NWPL) OBL (DEP) | |
| Persicaria hirsuta | HAIRY SMARTWEED | Native OBL (NWPL) OBL (DEP) | |
| Persicaria hydropiperoides | MILD WATERPEPPER; SWAMP SMARTWEED | Native OBL (NWPL) OD (WAP) OBL (DEP) | |
| Persicaria lapathifolia | CURLYTOP KNOTWEED; PALE SMARTWEED | Native FACW (NWPL) OBL (DEP) | |
| Persicaria longiseta | ORIENTAL LADY'S-THUMB | Not Native FACW- (NWPL) OBL (DEP) | |
| Persicaria maculosa | SPOTTED LADY'S-THUMB | Not Native FACW (NWPL) OBL (DEP) | |
| Persicaria meisneriana var. beyrichiana | BRANCHED TEARTHUMB; MEXICAN TEARTHUMB | Native Endangered-State OBL (NWPL) OBL (DEP) | |
| Persicaria orientalis | KISS-ME-OVER-THE-GARDEN-GATE; PRINCESS-FEATHER | Not Native FAC (NWPL) | |
| Persicaria pensylvanica | PENNSYLVANIA SMARTWEED | Native FACW (NWPL) OBL (DEP) | |
| Persicaria punctata | DOTTED SMARTWEED | Native OBL (NWPL) OBL (DEP) | |
| Persicaria sagittata | ARROWLEAF TEARTHUMB | Native OBL (NWPL) | |
| Persicaria setacea | BOG SMARTWEED | Native OBL (NWPL) OBL (DEP) | |
| Persicaria virginiana | JUMPSEED | Native FAC (NWPL) FACW (DEP) |
[Family 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 or 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 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