Bistorta bistortoides |
Bistorta plumosa |
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American bistort, smokeweed, western bistort |
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Habit | Plants (10–)20–70(–75) cm; rhizomes contorted. | Plants (8–)10–40(–50) 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, 5–40 mm, margins oblique, glabrous; petiole attached to sheath 10–45 mm, unwinged or scarcely winged distally, 30–220 mm; blade lanceolate-elliptic to ovate, 2–12 × 0.5–3 cm, base tapered, rarely truncate, often asymmetric, margins entire, sometimes wavy, apex rounded to acute, abaxial face pubescent with whitish or brownish hairs, glaucous, adaxial face glabrous, not glaucous; cauline leaves 1–3, 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, 15–70 × 10–15 mm, bulblets absent; peduncle 1–8 cm. |
Pedicels | ascending or spreading, 2–8(–11) mm. |
ascending or spreading, 2–7 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 bright pink or purplish pink; tepals oblong to elliptic, 3–4 mm, apex obtuse to acute; stamens included or exserted; anthers purple to blackish. |
Achenes | yellowish brown or olive-brown, 3.2–4.2 × 1.3–2 mm, shiny, smooth. |
brown, 2.5–4 × 1.2–2 mm, shiny, smooth. |
2n | = 24. |
= 72. |
Bistorta bistortoides |
Bistorta plumosa |
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Phenology | Flowering Jul–Sep. | Flowering May–Jun. |
Habitat | Streambanks, moist or swampy meadows, alpine slopes | Fields, meadows, arctic and alpine tundra, heathlands |
Elevation | 1300-3800 m (4300-12500 ft) | 0-2000 m (0-6600 ft) |
Distribution |
AZ; CA; CO; ID; MT; NM; NV; OR; UT; WA; WY; AB; BC
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AK; BC; NT; YT; e Asia |
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.) |
Leaves of Bistorta plumosa are used as a dietary aid and consumed as a vegetable, and roots are boiled and added to stews by Alaskan Native Americans (D. E. Moerman 1998). (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
Source | FNA vol. 5, p. 596. | FNA vol. 5, p. 596. |
Parent taxa | ||
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | Polygonum bistortoides, B. bistortoides var. oblongifolia, Persicaria bistortoides, Polygonum bistortoides var. linearifolium, Polygonum bistortoides var. oblongifolium | Polygonum plumosum, B. major subsp. plumosum, Polygonum bistorta subsp. plumosum, Polygonum bistorta var. plumosum |
Name authority | (Pursh) Small: Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 33: 57. (1906) | (Small) Greene: Leafl. Bot. Observ. Crit. 1: 18. (1904) |
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