Relatives

Aconogonon divaricatum (L). Nakai ex Mori. - Spread wide knotweed.

Taxonomic position.

Family Polygonacea Juss. Genus Acogonogonon (Meissn.) Reichenb. (Basic synonyms: Polygonum divaricatum L.).

Morphology and biology.

Perennial; sprawling and branchy, forming large, almost spherical bushes. Leaves are oblong-linear or oblong, with the base gradually narrowed, naked or occasionally downy on one or both sides, 5-12 mm long, 7-25 mm wide. The inflorescence is a large multi-floral sprawling panicle. Perianth is about 3-3.5 mm long and the fruits are 4-5 mm long. The fruit is about 4-6 mm long and juts out from perianth. Blossoms in June-July, fructifies in July-August. Anemophilous. Zoochore. 2n=100.

Distribution.

Common distribution: Mongolia, northern China and Japan. In the territory of the former USSR: Eastern Siberia - area Daursky; the Far East - Zeya-Bureinsky, Udsky, Ussurijsky areas. In the European part of the former USSR it is an extremely invasive weed plant.

Ecology.

On steppes and dry meadows; on rubble.

Utilization and economic value.

Wild relative of cultivated buckwheat. Roots used for tanning leather. Plant used as an ornamental. Also used as fodder, mainly silage. It has been introduced into cultivation, and has commercial varieties.

Reference citations:

Cherepanov S.K. 1995. Plantae Vasculares Rossicae et Civitatum Collimitanearum (in limics USSR olim)[List of Vascular Plants of Russia]. St. Petersburg: Mir I Semia. 990 pp. (in Russian).
Kharkevich S.S., ed. 1989. Vascular plants of the Soviet Far East. V. 4. Leningrad: Nauka. 380 p. (in Russian).
Komarov, V.L., ed. 1936. Flora USSR. V. 5. Moscow-Leningrad: Publishing House of Acad. Science. 484-485 pp. (in Russian).
Malyshev, L.I. & G.A. Peshkova, eds. 1992. Flora of Siberia. Salicaceae- Amarantaceae. V. 5. Novosibirsk: Nauka. 281 p. (in Russian).
Malyshev, L.I. & G.A. Peshkova, eds. 1997. Flora of the Central Siberia. V. 1. Novosibirsk: Nauka. 28-29 p. (in Russian).
Tsvelev N.N. 2000. Manual of the vascular plants of North-West Russia (Leningrad, Pskov and Novgorod district). St. Petersburg: Publishing House of SPHFA. 780 p. (in Russian).

© Smekalova, T.N.

 

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