Weeds

Persicaria bungeana (Turcz.) Nakai ex Mori. (=Polygonum bungeanum Turcz.) - Bunge's Persicaria.

Systematic position.

Family Polygonaceae, genus Persicaria Mill.

Morphology and biology.

Annual herbaceous plant. One or several stems prostrate to erect, 25-80 cm in length, prickly in at least lower part, with red glandular hairs at the tip. Leaves lanceolate, acute, 5-15 cm in length and 0.8-2.5 cm in width, rounded or cuneiform. Sheaf at base of leaf is membranous, with accumbent hard hairs, with marginal cilia 1-1.5 mm in length. Inflorescence single or numerous, 2.5-6 cm in length and 0.4-0.8 cm in width, rather friable. Pedicels glandular and pubescent. Flowers bisexual. Perianth 2.7-3.4 mm, whitish-green, rarely with pinkish tinge. 5 tepals. 5 to 8 stamens, with anthers 0.2-0.3 mm in length. Nectaries not visible. 3 styles; stigma very short, capitate. Nuts black, mat, usually triquetrous, 2.3-2.6 mm, with apical spine. Flowering in August and September.

Distribution.

The Far East of Russia, North China, Manchuria, Korea; introduced into the European part of Russia, Ukraine, and Siberia (Altai).

Ecology.

Occurs on sands among willows, near canals in rice fields, in fields, gardens, along roads, and disturbed areas.

Economic significance.

Persicaria bungeana is a weed plant in the fields of row (soy bean, maize, potatoes) and cereal crops, on the slopes of irrigation canals in rice plantations and in the ruderal places. Control measures include seed cleaning by a seed-cleaning machine and well-timed harvesting of the crop.

Reference citations:

Kharkevich S.S., ed. 1987. Vascular plants of the Soviet Far East. Leningrad: Nauka. V.2: 426-427. (In Russian)
Komarov, V.L., ed. 1936. Flora of the USSR. Moscow & Leningrad: AN USSR. V.3: 502-503 (In Russian)
Nikitin V.V. 1983. Weed plants of the USSR flora. Leningrad: Nauka. 130 pp. (In Russian)

© A. Yu. Doronina

 

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