OF THE CAROLINAS & GEORGIA

Spermatophytes (seed plants): Angiosperms (flowering plants): Eudicots: Core Eudicots: Caryophyllales

WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Persicaria lapathifolia   FAMILY Polygonaceae   Go to FSUS key



SYNONYMOUS WITH PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Polygonum lapathifolium   FAMILY Polygonaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH Flora of North America north of Mexico, vol. 5 (2005)

Persicaria lapathifolia

SYNONYMOUS WITH VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 063-04-009:

Polygonum lapathifolium   FAMILY Polygonaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)

Persicaria lapathifolia

 

COMMON NAME:
Dockleaf Smartweed, Willow-weed, Pale Smartweed


         To see larger pictures, click or hover over the thumbnails.

image of Persicaria lapathifolia, Dockleaf Smartweed, Willow-weed, Pale Smartweed

USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913    pnd_pela22_001_lvd

        

image of Persicaria lapathifolia, Dockleaf Smartweed, Willow-weed, Pale Smartweed

USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / USDA Wetland flora: Field office illustrated guide    pnd_pola4_002_lvd

        

image of Persicaria lapathifolia, Dockleaf Smartweed, Willow-weed, Pale Smartweed

JK Marlow    jkm0008e_01a

August    Greenville County    SC

Stem erect, commonly branching, glabrous. Racemes 3-8cm long, mostly nodding, per Aquatic and Wetland Plants of Southeastern United States (Godfrey & Wooten, 1979 & 1981).

image of Persicaria lapathifolia, Dockleaf Smartweed, Willow-weed, Pale Smartweed

JK Marlow    jkm090815_224

August    Greenville County    SC

Beaverpond & adjacent land

Of variable stature, but robust specimens to 15dm tall, with stout stems, per Aquatic and Wetland Plants of Southeastern United States (Godfrey & Wooten, 1979 & 1981).

image of Persicaria lapathifolia, Dockleaf Smartweed, Willow-weed, Pale Smartweed

JK Marlow    jkm090815_226

August    Greenville County    SC

Beaverpond & adjacent land

Ocreae 1-3cm long, not ciliate, glabrous or minutely strigillose on the nerves, per Vascular Flora of the Carolinas (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968).

image of Persicaria lapathifolia, Dockleaf Smartweed, Willow-weed, Pale Smartweed

JK Marlow    jkm140822_874b

August    Greenville County    SC

Swamp Rabbit Trail

image of Persicaria lapathifolia, Dockleaf Smartweed, Willow-weed, Pale Smartweed

JK Marlow    jkm140822_874c

August    Greenville County    SC

Swamp Rabbit Trail

image of Persicaria lapathifolia, Dockleaf Smartweed, Willow-weed, Pale Smartweed

JK Marlow    jkm140829_110

August    Greenville County    SC

Swamp Rabbit Trail

image of Persicaria lapathifolia, Dockleaf Smartweed, Willow-weed, Pale Smartweed

JK Marlow    jkm140829_112

August    Greenville County    SC

Swamp Rabbit Trail

image of Persicaria lapathifolia, Dockleaf Smartweed, Willow-weed, Pale Smartweed

JK Marlow    jkm140829_115

August    Greenville County    SC

Swamp Rabbit Trail

P. pensylvanica on the left; P. lapathifolia on the right.

image of Persicaria lapathifolia, Dockleaf Smartweed, Willow-weed, Pale Smartweed

JK Marlow    s090815_06

August    Greenville County    SC

Beaverpond & adjacent land

image of Persicaria lapathifolia, Dockleaf Smartweed, Willow-weed, Pale Smartweed

Gill Newberry    gn10_p_persicaria_lapathi

October        

Ocrea brownish, cylindric, chartaceous, base inflated, margins truncate, per Flora of North America.


click here to see other plants that look similar to this COMPARE ocreae of Jumpseed and Smartweed species

image of Persicaria lapathifolia, Dockleaf Smartweed, Willow-weed, Pale Smartweed

JK Marlow    jkm091003_010

October    Greenville County    SC

Beaverpond & adjacent land

image of Persicaria lapathifolia, Dockleaf Smartweed, Willow-weed, Pale Smartweed

JK Marlow    jkm091003_016

October    Greenville County    SC

Beaverpond & adjacent land

image of Persicaria lapathifolia, Dockleaf Smartweed, Willow-weed, Pale Smartweed

JK Marlow    jkm101003_095

October    Greenville County    SC

Beechwood Farms

image of Persicaria lapathifolia, Dockleaf Smartweed, Willow-weed, Pale Smartweed

JK Marlow    jkm141008_084

October    Greenville County    SC

Swamp Rabbit Trail

Tepals 4(5); inflorescences usually arching-drooping, per Weakley's Flora.

image of Persicaria lapathifolia, Dockleaf Smartweed, Willow-weed, Pale Smartweed

JK Marlow    jkm141008_086

October    Greenville County    SC

Swamp Rabbit Trail

Leaves often with a triangular reddish blotch in middle of the upper surface, per Weakley's Flora.

 

 

WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Persicaria lapathifolia   FAMILY Polygonaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Polygonum lapathifolium   FAMILY Polygonaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH Flora of North America north of Mexico, vol. 5
Persicaria lapathifolia

SYNONYMOUS WITH VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 063-04-009:
Polygonum lapathifolium   FAMILY Polygonaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Persicaria lapathifolia

 

Find by SCIENTIFIC NAME:

2238

Forb
Annual

Habitat: Bottomlands, bottomland fields, disturbed areas, per Weakley's Flora

Native to the Carolinas & Georgia

Uncommon

map
CLICK HERE to see a map, notes, and images from Weakley's Flora of the Southeastern US.

IS THE PLANT "ARMED"?
Stems, petioles and leaves unarmed

LEAVES:
Simple
Alternate
Leaves have short petioles.

FLOWER:
Summer/Fall
Whitish / pale pink
4(-5) parted calyx
Petals absent
6 stamens
Superior ovary
Bisexual

Inflorescence spikelike, usually uninterrupted

FRUIT:
Summer/Fall
Brown/Blackish
Nutlet

 

TO LEARN MORE about this plant, look it up in a good book!



 


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