Spermatophytes (seed plants): Angiosperms (flowering plants): Eudicots: Core Eudicots: Caryophyllales
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Persicaria lapathifolia
FAMILY
Polygonaceae
Go to FSUS key
Dig deeper at SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria.
Read more about Dockleaf Smartweed at Vascular Plants of North Carolina.
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Polygonum lapathifolium
FAMILY
Polygonaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH Flora of North America north of Mexico, vol. 5 (2005)
Persicaria lapathifolia
SYNONYMOUS WITH VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 063-04-009:
Polygonum lapathifolium FAMILY Polygonaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Persicaria lapathifolia
COMMON NAME:
Dockleaf Smartweed, Willow-weed, Pale Smartweed
To see larger pictures, click or hover over the thumbnails.
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USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913 pnd_pela22_001_lvd
)
USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / USDA Wetland flora: Field office illustrated guide pnd_pola4_002_lvd
)
JK Marlow jkm0008e_01a
August Greenville County SC
Stem erect, commonly branching, glabrous. Racemes 3-8cm long, mostly nodding, per Aquatic and Wetland Plants of Southeastern United States (Godfrey & Wooten, 1979 & 1981).
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JK Marlow jkm090815_224
August Greenville County SC
Beaverpond & adjacent land
Of variable stature, but robust specimens to 15dm tall, with stout stems, per Aquatic and Wetland Plants of Southeastern United States (Godfrey & Wooten, 1979 & 1981).
)
JK Marlow jkm090815_226
August Greenville County SC
Beaverpond & adjacent land
Ocreae 1-3cm long, not ciliate, glabrous or minutely strigillose on the nerves, per Vascular Flora of the Carolinas (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968).
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JK Marlow jkm140822_874b
August Greenville County SC
Swamp Rabbit Trail
)
JK Marlow jkm140822_874c
August Greenville County SC
Swamp Rabbit Trail
)
JK Marlow jkm140829_110
August Greenville County SC
Swamp Rabbit Trail
)
JK Marlow jkm140829_112
August Greenville County SC
Swamp Rabbit Trail
)
JK Marlow jkm140829_115
August Greenville County SC
Swamp Rabbit Trail
P. pensylvanica on the left; P. lapathifolia on the right.
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JK Marlow s090815_06
August Greenville County SC
Beaverpond & adjacent land
)
Gill Newberry gn10_p_persicaria_lapathi
October
Ocrea brownish, cylindric, chartaceous, base inflated, margins truncate, per Flora of North America.
COMPARE
ocreae of Jumpseed and Smartweed species
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JK Marlow jkm091003_010
October Greenville County SC
Beaverpond & adjacent land
)
JK Marlow jkm091003_016
October Greenville County SC
Beaverpond & adjacent land
)
JK Marlow jkm101003_095
October Greenville County SC
Beechwood Farms
)
JK Marlow jkm141008_084
October Greenville County SC
Swamp Rabbit Trail
Tepals 4(5); inflorescences usually arching-drooping, per Weakley's Flora.
)
JK Marlow jkm141008_086
October Greenville County SC
Swamp Rabbit Trail
Leaves often with a triangular reddish blotch in middle of the upper surface, per Weakley's Flora.
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Persicaria lapathifolia
FAMILY
Polygonaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Polygonum lapathifolium
FAMILY
Polygonaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Flora of North America north of Mexico, vol. 5
Persicaria lapathifolia
SYNONYMOUS WITH
VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 063-04-009:
Polygonum lapathifolium
FAMILY
Polygonaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Persicaria lapathifolia
2238
Forb
Annual
Habitat: Bottomlands, bottomland fields, disturbed areas, per Weakley's Flora
Native to the Carolinas & Georgia
Uncommon
CLICK HERE to see a map, notes, and images from Weakley's Flora of the Southeastern US.
IS THE PLANT "ARMED"?
Stems, petioles and leaves unarmed
LEAVES:
Simple
Alternate
Leaves have short petioles.
FLOWER:
Summer/Fall
Whitish / pale pink
4(-5) parted calyx
Petals absent
6 stamens
Superior ovary
Bisexual
Inflorescence spikelike, usually uninterrupted
FRUIT:
Summer/Fall
Brown/Blackish
Nutlet
TO LEARN MORE about this plant, look it up in a good book!
- Invasive Plants, Guide to Identification, Impacts and Control (Kaufman & Kaufman, 2007) p261
- Wildflowers of the Southern Mountains (Smith, 1998) p034
If a search such as "Carex leptalea var. leptalea" doesn't deliver the results you want, try "Carex leptalea".
Or, to minimize chances of a misspelling, try just "Carex le".
Less is more: If "pencil flower" doesn't deliver the results you want, try "pencil".