Bistorta bistortoides |
Bistorta officinalis |
|
---|---|---|
American bistort, smokeweed, western bistort |
European bistort, meadow bistort |
|
Habit | Plants (10–)20–70(–75) cm; rhizomes contorted. | Plants (20–)30–100(–120) cm; rhizomes contorted. |
Stems | 1–3. |
1(–2). |
Leaves | ocrea brown, cylindric, 9–25(–32) mm, margins oblique, glabrous; petiole attached to sheath 10–35(–50) mm, usually wingless, rarely winged distally, (10–)30–70(–110) mm; blade elliptic to oblong-lanceolate or oblong-oblanceolate, (3.5–)5–22 × 0.8–4.8 cm, base tapered to rounded, rarely abruptly truncate or cuneate, often asymmetric, margins entire, sometimes wavy, apex usually acute to acuminate, rarely obtuse, abaxial face glabrous or pubescent with whitish or brownish hairs, glaucous, adaxial face glabrous, not glaucous; cauline leaves 2–6, petiolate proximally, sessile distally, gradually reduced distally, blade elliptic or lanceolate to linear-lanceolate. |
ocrea brown, cylindric, 15–50(–70) mm, margins oblique, glabrous; petiole attached proximally to sheath 10–45(–70) mm, prominently winged distally, 100–260 mm, wing 1–6(–12) cm; blade lanceolate to ovate, 6–15(–21) × 2.5–9(–10) cm, base abruptly contracted, truncate to cuneate, often asymmetric, margins entire or obscurely and irregularly repand, usually wavy, apex acute to acuminate, rarely obtuse, abaxial face glabrous or pubescent with whitish or brownish hairs, glaucous, adaxial face glabrous, not glaucous; cauline leaves 3–6, petiolate proximally, sessile distally, gradually reduced distally, blade triangular-lanceolate to linear. |
Inflorescences | 1(–2), short-cylindric to ovoid, (10–)20–40(–50) × (8–)12–25 mm, bulblets absent; peduncle 1–10 cm. |
1, short-cylindric to ovoid, 35–65 × 12–20 mm, bulblets absent; peduncle 1–15 cm. |
Pedicels | ascending or spreading, 2–8(–11) mm. |
ascending, 1.5–7 mm. |
Flowers | 1–2 per ocreate fascicle; perianth white or pale pink; tepals oblong, 4–5 mm, apex obtuse to acute; stamens exserted; anthers yellow, elliptic. |
1–2 per ocreate fascicle; perianth pink; tepals elliptic to ovate, 3–4 mm, apex obtuse; stamens exserted; anthers pink to purple. |
Achenes | yellowish brown or olive-brown, 3.2–4.2 × 1.3–2 mm, shiny, smooth. |
brown, 3.3–4.5 × 2.5–3 mm, shiny, smooth. |
2n | = 24. |
= 48. |
Bistorta bistortoides |
Bistorta officinalis |
|
Phenology | Flowering Jul–Sep. | Flowering May–Aug. |
Habitat | Streambanks, moist or swampy meadows, alpine slopes | Fields, meadows |
Elevation | 1300-3800 m (4300-12500 ft) | 10-200 m (0-700 ft) |
Distribution |
AZ; CA; CO; ID; MT; NM; NV; OR; UT; WA; WY; AB; BC
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MA; ME; VT; NF; NS; Europe; Asia [Introduced in North America] |
Discussion | Infrequent specimens of Bistorta bistortoides have basal leaf blades that are lance-ovate and abruptly contracted at the bases, and petioles distinctly winged distally, similar to those of B. officinalis. Roots of western bistort were used in soups and stews by the Blackfoot, boiled with meat by the Cherokee, and used in a poultice that was applied to sores and boils by the Miwok (D. E. Moerman 1998). (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Chromosome numbers of 2n = 24, 44, 46, 48, and ca. 50 have been reported for Bistorta officinalis (B. Jonsell and T. Karlsson 2000+, vol. 1). A count of 2n = 48 made by Á. Löve and D. Löve (1988) was from a plant from California; it probably was cultivated. (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 5, p. 596. | FNA vol. 5, p. 596. |
Parent taxa | Polygonaceae > subfam. Polygonoideae > Bistorta | Polygonaceae > subfam. Polygonoideae > Bistorta |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | Polygonum bistortoides, B. bistortoides var. oblongifolia, Persicaria bistortoides, Polygonum bistortoides var. linearifolium, Polygonum bistortoides var. oblongifolium | Polygonum bistorta, B. major, Persicaria bistorta |
Name authority | (Pursh) Small: Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 33: 57. (1906) | Delarbre: Fl. Auvergne ed. 2, 2: 516. (1800) |
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