The green links below add additional plants to the comparison table. Blue links lead to other Web sites.
enable glossary links

sandhill jointweed

large-leaf wireweed, largeleaf jointweed

Habit Herbs, annual, gynomonoecious, 1–6 dm. Subshrubs, perennial, gynodioecious, 8–11 dm.
Stems

erect, simple or sparingly branched proximally, scabrous or, sometimes, glabrous proximally.

erect, simple proximally, sometimes branched distally, glabrous.

Leaves

persistent;

ocrea margins ciliate;

blade linear to falcate, (10–)19–36(–50) × (0.6–)1–1.5(–3) mm, base tapered, margins not hyaline, apex acuminate, minutely scabrous.

persistent;

ocrea margins not ciliate;

blade oblanceolate to obovate or broadly spatulate, (9–)26–56(–68) × (3–)9–30 mm, base attenuate to obtuse, margins hyaline, apex obtuse, glabrous.

Inflorescences

(5–)10–24(–30) mm;

ocreola encircling rachis, only the base adnate to rachis, apex acuminate.

(14–)30–50(–70) mm;

ocreola encircling rachis, only the base adnate to rachis, apex acute.

Pedicels

spreading in anthesis and fruit, 0.1–0.7 mm, as long as or much longer than subtending ocreola.

spreading in anthesis, reflexed in fruit, 1.2–2.1 mm, much longer than subtending ocreola.

Flowers

bisexual or some pistillate, these usually distal;

outer tepals loosely appressed in anthesis and fruit, pink with white margins, often drying orange, ovate, 1.1–2.3 mm in anthesis, margins erose;

inner and transitional tepals loosely appressed in anthesis and fruit, pink with white margins, often drying orange, oblong, 1.2–2.2 mm in anthesis, margins deeply fringed;

filaments monomorphic;

anthers pink;

styles and stigmas 0.6–1.3 mm in anthesis.

bisexual or pistillate;

outer tepals loosely appressed in anthesis, reflexed in fruit, white, pink, or red, obovate, 1.6–2.4 mm in anthesis, margins entire;

inner tepals loosely appressed in anthesis, reflexed in fruit, white, red, or pink, obovate, 1.7–2.8 mm in anthesis, margins entire;

filaments dimorphic;

anthers white or yellow;

styles and stigmas 0.3–0.6 mm in anthesis.

Achenes

included or exserted, yellow-brown, 3-gonous, 1.5–2.5 × 1–1.5 mm, shiny and smooth proximally, dull to shiny and minutely roughened distally.

included, yellow-brown, 3-gonous, 3.1–4.1 × 1.5–1.9 mm, shiny, smooth.

2n

= 28.

Polygonella fimbriata

Polygonella macrophylla

Phenology Flowering Jul–Oct. Flowering Oct.
Habitat Sandy pine-oak forests and sandhills Sand pine-oak scrub ridges
Elevation 10-200 m (0-700 ft) 0-70 m (0-200 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AL; FL; GA
[WildflowerSearch map]
from FNA
AL; FL
Discussion

The chromosome number of 2n = 32 listed for Polygonella fimbriata by P. O. Lewis and D. J. Crawford (1995) appears to be in error. They cited J. H. Horton (1963) as the source; Horton did not count this species.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Polygonella macrophylla is known only from the Gulf Coast from Franklin County, Florida, westward to Baldwin County, Alabama. Two flower-color morphs exist. Two populations in the vicinity of Carrabelle, Florida, are red-flowered. All other populations produce white or pink flowers. P. O. Lewis (1991b) showed that expected levels of genetic diversity are much lower in white-flowered populations than in red-flowered ones, possibly due to lack of gene flow among populations and high levels of inbreeding. Morphological data suggest that P. macrophylla is most closely related to the more widespread P. polygama (Lewis and D. J. Crawford 1995).

Polygonella macrophylla is in the Center for Plant Conservation’s National Collection of Endangered Plants.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source FNA vol. 5, p. 536. FNA vol. 5, p. 537.
Parent taxa Polygonaceae > subfam. Polygonoideae > Polygonella Polygonaceae > subfam. Polygonoideae > Polygonella
Sibling taxa
P. americana, P. articulata, P. basiramia, P. ciliata, P. gracilis, P. macrophylla, P. myriophylla, P. parksii, P. polygama, P. robusta
P. americana, P. articulata, P. basiramia, P. ciliata, P. fimbriata, P. gracilis, P. myriophylla, P. parksii, P. polygama, P. robusta
Synonyms Polygonum fimbriatum, Thysanella fimbriata
Name authority (Elliott) Horton: Brittonia 15: 190. (1963) Small: Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 23: 407. (1896)
Web links