Persicaria maculosa from Kashmir

[Gurcharan Singh]

Persicaria maculosa Gray (syn: Polygonum persicaria L.) from Kashmir, growing in wet places. Photographed from Harwan on June 17, 2010.

Common names: Lady's-thumb, Redshank, Spotted lady's-thumb , Smart weed

French: Renouée persicaire  

Used as medicinal as laxative, cardiac stimulant, and in colds and fevers. Infusion useful as a gargle in inflammation of pharynx. Herb yields an essential oil.

--
Dr. Gurcharan Singh
Retired  Associate Professor
SGTB Khalsa College, University of Delhi, Delhi-110007
Res: 932 Anand Kunj, Vikas Puri, New Delhi-110018.
Phone: 011-25518297  Mob: 9810359089
http://people.du.ac.in/~singhg45/

[tanay bose]

Nice to see the close up the flowers

Thanks Sir Ji

Tanay

--
Tanay Bose
Research Assistant & Teaching Assistant
Department of Botany
University of British Columbia
3529-6270 University Blvd.
Vancouver, B.C. V6T 1Z4 (Canada)
Phone: 778-323-4036

[Pankaj Kumar]

Just wanted to ask, how do you differentiate Persicaria from Polygonum?
Pankaj

[Gurcharan Singh]

Pankaj ji

The former complex genus has now been split into at least four major genera.

Here is a simpler key:

Flowers in axillary clusters (stamens inflated at base, inner larger; nectaries absent or inconspicuous)....................Polygonum

Flowers in Panicles, Spikes or Heads (All stamens equal, not inflated at base; nectaries present and conspicuous)

     Flowers in clusters forming panicle or flat-topped corymb.................................................................................Koenigia

     Flowers in well-defined spikes or heads

        Plants rhizomatic perennials with prominent basal leaves; styles 3, free and elongate......................................Bistorta 

        Plants annual, rarely perennials with rooting branches; leaves evenly distributed; style 1, bifid or trifid................Persicaria

-- 
Dr. Gurcharan Singh
Retired  Associate Professor
SGTB Khalsa College, University of Delhi, Delhi-110007
Res: 932 Anand Kunj, Vikas Puri, New Delhi-110018.
Phone: 011-25518297  Mob: 9810359089
http://people.du.ac.in/~singhg45/ 

[JM Garg]

Reply from another thread :

Forwarding again for Id confirmation or otherwise please.

Some earlier relevant feedback:

Drooping inflorescence, absence of triangular spot on leaf and short cilia (cilia on P. maculosa are much longer) are insisting me NOT to go with P. maculosa. Rather it could be P. hydropiper or P. mitis. Can't see number of stamens and nut character that could be critical. Comments are welcome. Regards, Ritesh.

Thanks Ritesh ji I am uploading separately what I think to be P. mitis. You can compare them better. Dr. Gurcharan Singh

Singh ji's post on Persicaria mitis

[Gurcharan Singh]

Forwarding again for ID confirmation or otherwise

Distributed as  Persicaria maculosa ? 

Group discussion at

  Persicaria maculosa from Kashmir (google.com) 

[Gurcharan Singh]

Forwarding again for ID confirmation or otherwise

Distributed as  Persicaria maculosa ? 

Group discussion at

  Persicaria maculosa from Kashmir (google.com)