Common Name:
Knotweed
Smartweed
Fleece Vine
About 150 species of mostly annuals and herbaceous perennials, some aquatic vine-like scamblers or woody subshrubs; stems appear jointed (bamboo-like). Leaves alternate, simple, of various shapes, margins entire, stipules sheathing the stem (ocrea). Flowers small, occasionally showy, in clusters of leaf axils or terminal, white, pink or red. Fruit a small 2-3 angled achene. Native to northern temperate regions.
Polygonum: from the Greek, poly, many; gonu, joint, the stems have conspicuously swollen nodes.
Pronunciation:
po-LI-go-num
Family:
Polygonaceae