prickly smartweed

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• prickly smartweed

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Polygonum bungeanum
• Amblygonum bungeanum
• Polygonum chanetii

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae within the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. It is further classified under the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Caryophyllales. Finally, it is a member of the family Polygonaceae, specifically within the genus Persicaria.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a broad geographical distribution that spans across several distinct regions of the Eurasian continent. In Northern Europe, its presence can be documented within the territory of Great Britain. Moving toward Middle Europe, the species is also found growing in Germany. Its range extends significantly eastward into the Russian Far East, where it inhabits the Amur region. Furthermore, it is widely distributed throughout the Khabarovsk and Primorye areas of the Russian Far East.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Persicaria bungeanana is characterized by a broad altitudinal distribution and specific substrate preferences. This species thrives across a significant elevational gradient, ranging from as low as 50 m AMSL to a maximum altitude of 1700 m AMSL, with a mean elevational range centered around 875 m AMSL. Regarding its preferred growing environment, the plant is specifically associated with habitats featuring sand, which plays a critical role in its ecological niche.

Elevational range max:

1700 m AMSL

Elevational range mean:

875 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

50 m AMSL

Habitat :

sand

Life history

The life history of Persicaria bungeanana is characterized by its classification as an annual plant, meaning it completes its entire developmental cycle—from germination and vegetative growth to flowering and seed production—within a single growing season. Following seed dispersal, the plant emerges and focuses its energy on establishing a robust vegetative structure, utilizing its stems and foliage to accumulate the necessary nutrients for reproduction. Once maturity is reached, it enters a reproductive phase, producing characteristic inflorescences that facilitate pollination. After successful fertilization, the plant produces seeds, which serve as the primary mechanism for survival and the initiation of the next generation, after which the individual plant completes its life cycle and dies.

Lifecycle :

annual

Morphology

The morphology of Persicaria bungeana is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb, specifically classified as a forb. This plant is a self-supporting species that does not function as a climber or a vine, and it grows as an independent organism rather than a parasite or an epiphyte. It is a terrestrial plant, lacking aquatic or semiaquatic tendencies. In terms of stature, the plant reaches a maximum height of 0.9 m, with an average height of approximately 0.6 m, and it can be found growing as short as 0.25 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

0.9 m

Plant height mean:

0.6 m

Plant height min:

0.25 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Persicaria bungeana is characterized by significant morphological variability in its foliar structures, which play a critical role in its photosynthetic capacity and resource acquisition. The leaves exhibit a broad range of dimensions, with a mean leaf length of 6.5 cm, though individual specimens can vary from a minimum of 3 cm to a maximum of 10 cm. This longitudinal variation is complemented by a corresponding range in leaf width, which fluctuates between a minimum of 1 cm and a maximum of 3 cm. These dimensional parameters suggest a flexible physiological adaptation to light availability and environmental stressors, allowing the plant to optimize its surface area for gas exchange and light interception across different microhabitats.

Leaf length max:

10 cm

Leaf length mean:

6.5 cm

Leaf length min:

3 cm

Leaf width max:

3 cm

Leaf width min:

1 cm

Reproduction

The reproduction of Persicaria bungeanana is characterized by a prolonged flowering period that typically begins in April and extends through October, though the timing can remain variable throughout the year. During this reproductive phase, the plant produces inflorescences that are relatively small, measuring between 0.05 m and 0.09 m in length. The resulting fruit is highly consistent in size, maintaining a uniform length of approximately 0.3 cm, with no significant deviation between its minimum, mean, and maximum measurements.

Flowering time :

Apr

Flowering time :

Oct

Fruit length max:

0.3 cm

Inflorescence length max:

0.09 m

Inflorescence length min:

0.05 m

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Persicaria bungeana has 2 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Vanicoside A, Vanicoside B.

Vanicoside A

1. Journal of natural products

Vanicoside B

1. Journal of natural products