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Parry's knotweed, Parry's or prickly knotweed, prickly knotweed

Habit Herbs, compact, often cushion-like.
Stems

erect, green-brown, simple or branched from base, not wiry, 2–5(–8) cm, glabrous.

Leaves

± uniformly distributed, dense, not articulated to ocreae, basal leaves ± persistent, distal leaves gradually reduced to bracts;

ocrea 2–4(–5) mm, glabrous, proximal part cylindric, distal part deeply lacerate, disintegrating into white, curled fibers;

petiole absent;

blade 3-veined, without pleats, linear-lanceolate, subulate, 5–13(–20) × 0.4–1 mm, margins revolute, smooth, apex spine-tipped.

Inflorescences

axillary;

cymes in most axils, 1-flowered.

Pedicels

absent.

Flowers

closed;

perianth 1.5–2(–2.5) mm;

tube 6–15% of perianth length;

tepals overlapping, usually reddish with white margins, petaloid, oblong, navicular, apex acute;

midveins unbranched;

stamens 8.

Achenes

slightly exserted from perianth at maturity, dark brown, ovate, 1.2–1.6(–2) mm, faces subequal, shiny, smooth.

Polygonum parryi

Polygonum humifusum

Phenology Flowering May–July.
Habitat Vernally moist, open, sandy or rocky places
Elevation 500-2000 m (1600-6600 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; WA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AK; NT; NU; YT; e Asia
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Subspecies 2 (1 in the flora).

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

Source FNA vol. 5, p. 563. FNA vol. 5, p. 555.
Parent taxa Polygonaceae > subfam. Polygonoideae > Polygonum > sect. Duravia Polygonaceae > subfam. Polygonoideae > Polygonum
Sibling taxa
P. achoreum, P. argyrocoleon, P. austiniae, P. aviculare, P. bidwelliae, P. bolanderi, P. californicum, P. cascadense, P. douglasii, P. engelmannii, P. erectum, P. fowleri, P. glaucum, P. heterosepalum, P. hickmanii, P. humifusum, P. majus, P. marinense, P. minimum, P. nuttallii, P. oxyspermum, P. paronychia, P. patulum, P. plebeium, P. polygaloides, P. ramosissimum, P. sawatchense, P. shastense, P. spergulariiforme, P. striatulum, P. tenue, P. utahense
P. achoreum, P. argyrocoleon, P. austiniae, P. aviculare, P. bidwelliae, P. bolanderi, P. californicum, P. cascadense, P. douglasii, P. engelmannii, P. erectum, P. fowleri, P. glaucum, P. heterosepalum, P. hickmanii, P. majus, P. marinense, P. minimum, P. nuttallii, P. oxyspermum, P. paronychia, P. parryi, P. patulum, P. plebeium, P. polygaloides, P. ramosissimum, P. sawatchense, P. shastense, P. spergulariiforme, P. striatulum, P. tenue, P. utahense
Subordinate taxa
P. humifusum subsp. caurianum
Name authority Greene: Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 8: 99. (1881) C. Merck ex K. Koch: Linnaea 22: 205. (1849)
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