''Persicaria chinensis'' (
synonym
A synonym is a word, morpheme, or phrase that means precisely or nearly the same as another word, morpheme, or phrase in a given language. For example, in the English language, the words ''begin'', ''start'', ''commence'', and ''initiate'' are a ...
''Polygonum chinense''),
[ commonly known as creeping smartweed or Chinese knotweed, is a plant species from the family ]Polygonaceae
The Polygonaceae are a Family (biology), family of flowering plants known Common name, informally as the knotweed family or smartweed—buckwheat family in the United States. The Botanical name, name is Basionym, based on the genus ''Polygonum'', ...
.
It is widespread across China, Japan, the Indian Subcontinent, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Vietnam.
Description
''Persicaria chinensis'' is a perennial climber that grows to 2–3 m high. Its stems are glabrous and red-brown, with longitudinal stripes. Its leaves have oval blades, are 4–8 cm long and 3–5 cm wide, with pointed apex and round or nearly cordate base. Its cymes emerge at terminals, and are 5–7 cm long, with small white or pink flowers. Its fruits are berries, globose in shape and enclosed in the enlarged and fleshy calyx at maturity. They are edible and sour tasting. The seeds are small and black.
In local culture
It is a common plant in Malaysia and Vietnam, where it is used in herbal remedies, such as for the treatment of dysentery, enteritis, and sore throat.Angami language
Angami, also known as Tenyidie, is a Naga language spoken in the Naga Hills in the northeastern part of India, in Kohima district, Nagaland. In 2011, there is an estimate of 153,000 first language (L1) Angami speakers. Under the UNESCO's La ...
.
References
External links
Integrated Taxonomic Information System ITIS standard report, ''Polygonum chinense''line drawing, Flora of China Illustrations vol. 5, fig. 248, 1
chinensis
Flora of China
Flora of tropical Asia
Plants described in 1753
Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus
{{Polygonaceae-stub