Tapertip Smartweed

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Tapertip Smartweed

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Polygonum acuminatum var. setigerum
• Polygonum vellosoi
• Polygonum acuminatum var. capense
• Polygonum setigerum
• Polygonum acuminatum var. microstemon
• Polygonum stuckertii
• Polygonum micranthum
• Polygonum guatemalense
• Polygonum bettfreundianum
• Polygonum acuminatum
• Polygonum alfredi
• Polygonum acuminatum var. stenophylla
• Polygonum acuminatum var. humboldtii
• Polygonum acuminatum var. glabrescens
• Polygonum acuminatum var. brachystemon
• Polygonum acuminatum var. weddellii
• Polygonum acuminatum var. subcordatum

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified under the phylum Streptophyta within the class Equisetopsida. As a member of the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Caryophyllales, it is specifically situated in the family Polygonaceae. Its taxonomic identity is further defined by its placement in the genus Persicaria.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a diverse geographical range that spans across both the Pacific Islands and various regions of Mexico. Within the South-Central Pacific, its presence is specifically noted on Easter Island. In Mexico, the species is widely distributed, appearing in the central and northeastern territories. Additionally, it can be found throughout the Gulf region of the country. Finally, the plant extends its reach into the southwestern parts of Mexico.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Persicaria acuminata is characterized by a broad adaptability to diverse environmental conditions and varying topographical gradients. This species can be found across a wide elevational spectrum, ranging from sea level (0 m AMSL) up to a maximum altitude of 2100 m AMSL. Its habitat preferences are notably diverse, spanning a variety of specialized ecosystems including Anthropogenic Areas (Área Antrópica), Várzea Fields (Campo de Várzea), and Aquatic Vegetation (Vegetação Aquática). Furthermore, it is integrated into complex forest structures, occupying Igapó Forests (Floresta de Igapó), Terra Firme Forests (Floresta de Terra Firme), and Várzea Forests (Floresta de Várzea), as well as both Ombrophilous/Rainforests (Floresta Ombrófila/Pluvial) and Mixed Ombrophilous Forests (Floresta Ombrófila Mista).

Elevational range max:

2100 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

Área Antrópica, Campo de Várzea, Floresta de Igapó, Floresta de Terra Firme, Floresta de Várzea, Floresta Ombrófila (= Floresta Pluvial), Floresta Ombrófila Mista, Vegetação Aquática

Life history

The life history of Persicaria acuminata is characterized by its nature as a perennial plant, allowing it to persist across multiple growing seasons through various developmental stages. In terms of its structural adaptation to its environment, the species functions as a hydrophyte, thriving in aquatic or semi-aquatic habitats where moisture is abundant. Furthermore, its survival strategy is classified under the life form of a cryptophyte, indicating that its perennating buds are protected below the soil surface or under water to endure unfavorable environmental conditions.

Life form :

hydrophyte

Life form :

cryptophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Persicaria acuminata is characterized by a growth form classified as a non-woody herb and, more specifically, a forb. This plant is primarily terrestrial in its habitat, though it exhibits a versatile ecological range that can span across aquatic, semiaquatic, and terrestrial environments. As a self-supporting species, it does not function as a climber, liana, or vine, nor does it exhibit any climbing tendencies such as obligatory or facultative climbing. The plant is an independent organism, functioning as a non-parasitic species without any obligatory or facultative parasitic dependencies. Furthermore, it is a terrestrial plant rather than an epiphyte, lacking any holoepiphytic, hemiepiphytic, or facultative epiphytic characteristics. In terms of physical dimensions, it can reach a maximum plant height of up to 2 meters.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

2 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Persicaria acuminata is characterized by distinct morphological dimensions of its foliage, which serve as key indicators of its vegetative development. The leaf structure exhibits significant variability in size, with lengths typically ranging from a minimum of 10 cm to a maximum of 15 cm. Complementing this longitudinal growth, the width of the leaves fluctuates between a minimum of 2 cm and a maximum of 3 cm, defining the overall surface area available for photosynthetic activity. This specific range of leaf dimensions reflects the plant's capacity for biomass accumulation and its physiological adaptation to its environmental niche.

Leaf length max:

15 cm

Leaf length min:

10 cm

Leaf width max:

3 cm

Leaf width min:

2 cm

Reproduction

The reproduction of Persicaria acuminata involves specialized mechanisms for seed dissemination and specific morphological fruit characteristics. The plant utilizes a diverse range of dispersal syndromes, exhibiting an unspecialized strategy that includes anemochory, zoochory, autochory, and hydrochory, with a notable capacity for hydrochorous dispersal via water currents. The resulting fruits are notably minute, characterized by a mean length of 0.2 cm and a mean width of 0.1 cm, facilitating their movement through various environmental vectors.

Dispersal syndrome :

hydrochorous

Fruit length mean:

0.2 cm

Fruit width mean:

0.1 cm

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Persicaria acuminata has 6 reported plant parts identified across 34 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include root, rhizome, leaf, stem, flower.

Root

1. Anti-cancer agents in medicinal chemistry
2. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials
3. BMC complementary and alternative medicine
4. Frontiers in plant science
5. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Rhizome

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Scientific reports
3. Frontiers in plant science
4. Pharmaceutical biology
5. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

Leaf

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Pharmaceutical biology
3. Planta medica
4. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

Stem

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
3. Planta medica

Flower

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Pharmaceutical biology

Seed

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Chemicals

Persicaria acuminata has 59 reported phytochemicals identified across 34 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include resveratrol, Polydatin, emodin, Physcion, Anthraquinones.

resveratrol

1. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials
2. Frontiers in pharmacology
3. Frontiers in plant science
4. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
5. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Polydatin

1. Clinical hemorheology and microcirculation
2. Nutrients
3. Frontiers in plant science
4. Journal of food science
5. Journal of nutritional science and vitaminology

emodin

1. Frontiers in plant science
2. Journal of natural products
3. Journal of materials science. Materials in medicine
4. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
5. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Physcion

1. Frontiers in plant science
2. Journal of natural products
3. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
4. International journal of biological macromolecules
5. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Anthraquinones

1. Pharmacognosy magazine
2. Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis
3. Pharmaceutical biology
4. Planta medica
5. BMC genomics

Chrysophanol

1. Frontiers in plant science
2. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
3. Plant physiology and biochemistry : PPB
4. Journal of chromatography. A
5. Frontiers in microbiology

Flavonoids

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Pharmaceutical biology
3. BMC genomics
4. Planta medica
5. Journal of chromatography. A

Stilbenes

1. Pharmacognosy magazine
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology
3. Pharmaceutical biology
4. BMC genomics
5. Nutrients

Aloe emodin

1. Frontiers in plant science
2. Plant physiology and biochemistry : PPB
3. Journal of chromatography. A
4. Frontiers in microbiology

2-Methoxystypandrone

1. Anti-cancer agents in medicinal chemistry
2. Planta medica
3. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

Activities

Persicaria acuminata has 13 reported activities identified across 34 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Antibacterial, Anticancer, Antimicrobial, Hepatoprotective.

Antioxidant

1. Phytotherapy research : PTR
2. Frontiers in pharmacology
3. Nutrients
4. Chinese journal of natural medicines

Antibacterial

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Journal of breath research

Anticancer

1. Phytotherapy research : PTR
2. Pharmaceutical biology

Antimicrobial

1. Phytotherapy research : PTR
2. Chinese journal of natural medicines

Hepatoprotective

1. Phytotherapy research : PTR
2. PloS one

Neuroprotective

1. BioFactors (Oxford, England)
2. Natural product research

Antiinflammatory

1. Phytotherapy research : PTR

Antimalarial

1. Pharmaceutical biology

Antitumor

1. The Journal of nutrition

Antiviral

1. Scientific reports

Preparations

Persicaria acuminata has 33 reported preparations identified across 34 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include aqueous extracts, crude extracts, extract, roots, 70% EtOH extracts.

Aqueous extracts

1. Life sciences
2. Journal of chromatography. A

Crude extracts

1. Journal of separation science
2. In vivo (Athens, Greece)

Extract

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

Roots

1. Anti-cancer agents in medicinal chemistry
2. Yao xue xue bao = Acta pharmaceutica Sinica

70% etoh extracts

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Mcpc

1. Nutrients

P. cuspidatum extract

1. Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis

Polydatin

1. Clinical hemorheology and microcirculation

Decoctions

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Dried roots and rhizomes

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology