buckwheat plant

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• buckwheat
• garden buckwheat
• Japanese buckwheat
• common buckwheat
• silverhull buckwheat

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Phegopyrum esculentum
• Fagopyrum macropterum var. emarginatum
• Fagopyrum esculentum var. emarginatum
• Phegopyrum emarginatum
• Fagopyrum esculentum var. vulgare
• Helxine fagopyrum
• Polygonum fagopyrum
• Polygonum pyramidatum
• Fagopyrum esculentum subsp. ancestralis
• Kunokale carneum
• Fagopyrum macropterum var. obtusum
• Fagopyrum esculentum var. pyramidatum
• Fagopyrum sarracenicum
• Fagopyrum dryandrii
• Fagopyrum emarginatum
• Fagopyrum cereale

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant, scientifically known as Fagopyrum esculentum, belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. Within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae, it is classified under the order Caryophyllales and the family Polygonaceae. Finally, it is placed within the genus Fagopyrum.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant, known as buckwheat, exhibits a specific presence across several regions of Northern Europe. In the island nations of the north, it can be found growing in both Iceland and Ireland. Its distribution extends further into the British Isles, where it is established in Great Britain. Additionally, the species is documented within the territories of Denmark. Finally, its geographical range reaches as far as Finland within the Northern European landscape.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Fagopyrum esculentum is characterized by its adaptability to diverse environments, typically occurring within anthropogenic landscapes such as crop fields and along roadsides. It exhibits a broad altitudinal distribution, thriving in varied topographical settings that span an elevational range from a minimum of 300 m AMSL to a maximum of 3500 m AMSL.

Elevational range max:

3500 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

300 m AMSL

Habitat :

crop fields, roadsides

Life history

The life history of Fagopyrum esculentum is characterized by an annual lifecycle, meaning the plant completes its entire biological progression—from germination and vegetative growth to flowering and seed production—within a single growing season. As a therophyte, its life strategy relies on surviving unfavorable environmental conditions in the form of resistant seeds rather than maintaining perennial above-ground structures. This strategy allows the plant to rapidly colonize disturbed soils and exploit seasonal resources, ensuring that the next generation is established through seed dispersal before the onset of senescence or frost.

Life form :

therophyte

Lifecycle :

annual

Morphology

The morphology of Fagopyrum esculentum is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb and forb. It is a terrestrial, independent plant that does not function as an epiphyte or a parasite. The plant exhibits an erect shoot orientation and is strictly self-supporting rather than being a climber, liana, or vine. In terms of stature, the plant typically reaches a mean height of approximately 0.828 m, with individual specimens ranging from a minimum height of 0.15 m to a maximum of 0.7 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

0.7 m

Plant height mean:

0.828333333333333 m

Plant height min:

0.15 m

Shoot orientation :

erect

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Fagopyrum esculentum is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which dictates its carbon fixation processes and metabolic efficiency. As a non-carnivorous organism, it relies on traditional nutrient uptake through its root system rather than supplemental nutrient acquisition from prey, and it functions as a non-nitrogen fixer, meaning it does not possess the biological mechanism to convert atmospheric nitrogen into a usable form. The vegetative morphology is defined by its leaf dimensions, which exhibit significant variability; the leaf length ranges from a minimum of 2.5 cm to a maximum of 14 cm, with a recorded mean length of 4.75 cm. Correspondingly, the leaf width varies from a minimum of 2 cm to a maximum of 8 cm, maintaining an average width of 6 cm.

Carnivory :

non-carnivorous

Leaf length max:

14 cm

Leaf length mean:

4.75 cm

Leaf length min:

2.5 cm

Leaf width max:

8 cm

Leaf width mean:

6 cm

Leaf width min:

2 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Fagopyrum esculentum is characterized by a biotic pollination process primarily driven by insects, specifically bees, which facilitate the transfer of pollen. The plant features pink flowers arranged in a panicle inflorescence, with individual flower lengths ranging from a minimum of 0.2 cm to a maximum of 0.4 cm. Notably, self-fertilization is absent in this species, necessitating cross-pollination. Following successful fertilization, the plant develops indehiscent fruits categorized as achenes. These fruits are typically black in color, with a mean length of 0.625 cm (ranging from 0.4 cm to 0.6 cm) and a mean width of 0.5 cm. The resulting seeds exhibit a mean mass of approximately 0.025273 g, with individual seed weights varying between a minimum of 0.0222 g and a maximum of 0.03458 g. The flowering period typically commences in July and concludes in August. Regarding dispersal, the plant utilizes an unspecialized syndrome that includes anthropochorous mechanisms, meaning dispersal is often aided by human activity. Asexual reproduction is absent in this species.

Dehiscence :

indehiscent

Dispersal syndrome :

unspecialized

Dispersal syndrome :

anthropochorous

Flower colour :

pink

Flower length max:

0.4 cm

Flower length min:

0.2 cm

Flowering time :

Jul

Flowering time :

Aug

Fruit colour :

black

Fruit length max:

0.6 cm

Fruit length mean:

0.625 cm

Fruit length min:

0.4 cm

Fruit type :

achene

Fruit width mean:

0.5 cm

Inflorescence :

panicle

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

bee

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Reproduction asexual :

absent

Seed mass max:

0.03458 g

Seed mass mean:

0.025273 g

Seed mass min:

0.0222 g

Self fertilization :

absent

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Fagopyrum esculentum has 2 reported plant parts identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include seed, leaf.

Seed

1. Journal of plant physiology
2. Science (New York, N.Y.)

Leaf

1. Journal of plant physiology

Chemicals

Fagopyrum esculentum has 129 reported phytochemicals identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include RUTIN, Flavonoids, fagopyrin, CHLOROGENIC ACID, quercetin.

RUTIN

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of plant physiology
3. Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)
4. Cancers
5. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry

Flavonoids

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry
3. Acta pharmaceutica (Zagreb, Croatia)
4. Food chemistry

fagopyrin

1. Dr. Duke
2. Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry
4. Acta pharmaceutica (Zagreb, Croatia)

CHLOROGENIC ACID

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry

quercetin

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of clinical pharmacology

(+)-Epicatechin

1. Dr. Duke

(+)-catechin

1. Dr. Duke

(-)-Epicatechin

1. Dr. Duke

(-)-Epicatechin-3-O-gallate

1. Dr. Duke

3,4-Dihydroxybenzaldehyde

1. Dr. Duke

Activities

Fagopyrum esculentum has 618 reported activities identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antihyperglycemic, Antihypertensive, Antioxidant, Antitumor, Hepatoprotective.

Antihyperglycemic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Preparative biochemistry & biotechnology

Antihypertensive

1. Dr. Duke
2. Preparative biochemistry & biotechnology

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)

Antitumor

1. Dr. Duke
2. International journal of molecular sciences

Hepatoprotective

1. Dr. Duke
2. International journal of molecular sciences

Neuroprotective

1. Dr. Duke
2. Frontiers in pharmacology

11B-HSD-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

5-Alpha-Reductase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

5-HETE-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

5-HT-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Conditions

Fagopyrum esculentum has 7 reported investigations on conditions identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include Listeria monocytogenes, anti-oxidant, antihyperglycemic, antihypertensive, heart attack.

Listeria monocytogenes

1. Fitoterapia

Anti-oxidant

1. International journal of molecular sciences

Antihyperglycemic

1. Preparative biochemistry & biotechnology

Antihypertensive

1. Preparative biochemistry & biotechnology

Heart attack

1. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology

Toluene

1. Reproduction in domestic animals = Zuchthygiene

Varicose veins

1. Dermatologic therapy

Preparations

Fagopyrum esculentum has 1 reported preparations identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include Extracts.

Extracts

1. Science (New York, N.Y.)