Persicaria tinctoria

Names and Synonyms

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Pogalis tinctoria
• Ampelygonum tinctorium
• Polygonum tinctorium

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified within the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. Following the subclass Magnoliidae, it is placed in the order Caryophyllales and the family Polygonaceae. Ultimately, it is identified by the genus Persicaria.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a broad geographical distribution spanning across several distinct regions of Eurasia. In Middle Europe, its presence is specifically noted within Germany. Moving eastward, the species can also be found throughout Ukraine in Eastern Europe. Its range extends significantly into the Russian Far East, where it inhabits the Kuril Islands and the Sakhalin region. Additionally, the plant is well-established in the Primorye territory of the Russian Far East.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Persicaria tinctoria is characterized by its opportunistic growth patterns, as it is commonly found both cultivated in intentional settings and naturalized in weed-infested places. This species thrives in disturbed environments where competition from other ruderal vegetation is high, often colonizing areas with moist, nitrogen-rich soils. Its ability to naturalize suggests a high degree of adaptability to various anthropogenic landscapes, allowing it to persist in disturbed ground and neglected patches of vegetation where it can outcompete less vigorous weeds.

Habitat :

cultivated and naturalized in weed-infested places

Life history

The life history of Persicaria tinctoria is characterized by an annual lifecycle, meaning the plant completes its entire biological development—from germination to seed production—within a single growing season. As an annual species, it begins its life cycle by germinating from seeds in the soil, typically following seasonal moisture availability. During its vegetative phase, the plant focuses on rapid growth, establishing a robust structure of stems and foliage to maximize photosynthetic capacity. This growth phase transitions into a reproductive stage where the plant produces flowers to facilitate pollination. Once fertilization occurs, the plant directs its remaining energy into the development of seeds, ensuring the survival of the next generation before the parent organism senesces at the end of the year. Because it follows this annual pattern, the plant does not persist through dormant periods as a perennial would, instead relying on the dispersal of its seeds to reappear in subsequent growing seasons.

Lifecycle :

annual

Morphology

The morphology of Persicaria tinctoria is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb. As a self-supporting plant, it does not exhibit climbing tendencies such as a liana or vine, maintaining a structural habit that is categorized as self-supporting rather than obligatory or facultative. The plant reaches a variable height, with a minimum height of 0.3 m, a maximum height of 0.8 m, and an average plant height of approximately 0.725 m.

Climber :

self-supporting

Growth form :

herb

Plant height max:

0.8 m

Plant height mean:

0.725 m

Plant height min:

0.3 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Persicaria tinctoria is characterized by specific morphological dimensions of its foliage and a distinct metabolic profile regarding nutrient acquisition. The leaves exhibit significant variability in size, with lengths ranging from a minimum of 3 cm to a mean of 5.5 cm, reaching a maximum of 8 cm. Correspondingly, the leaf width varies from a minimum of 2 cm to a maximum of 4 cm. In terms of its nitrogen metabolism, the plant does not function as a nitrogen fixer, meaning it lacks the symbiotic relationship with diazotrophic bacteria required to convert atmospheric nitrogen into a usable form, relying instead on the uptake of available nitrogen from the soil substrate.

Leaf length max:

8 cm

Leaf length mean:

5.5 cm

Leaf length min:

3 cm

Leaf width max:

4 cm

Leaf width min:

2 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Reproduction

The reproduction of Persicaria tinctoria is characterized by a biotic pollination syndrome, primarily driven by insects, which facilitates the fertilization process. The flowering period typically spans from July to September, during which the plant produces inflorescences that vary in length from a minimum of 0.02 m to a maximum of 0.05 m. Following successful pollination, the plant develops small fruits with dimensions ranging from a minimum length of 0.2 cm to a maximum of 0.25 cm, maintaining an average fruit length of approximately 0.225 cm.

Flowering time :

Jul

Flowering time :

Sep

Fruit length max:

0.25 cm

Fruit length mean:

0.225 cm

Fruit length min:

0.2 cm

Inflorescence length max:

0.05 m

Inflorescence length min:

0.02 m

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Persicaria tinctoria has 1 reported plant parts identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include fruit.

Fruit

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

Chemicals

Persicaria tinctoria has 9 reported phytochemicals identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Tryptanthrin, 3,5,4'-trihydroxy-6,7-methylenedioxyflavone, INDICAN, Indirubin, NO.

Tryptanthrin

1. Biological & pharmaceutical bulletin
2. Applied biochemistry and biotechnology
3. Journal of natural products
4. International immunopharmacology

3,5,4'-trihydroxy-6,7-methylenedioxyflavone

1. Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis

INDICAN

1. Toxicon : official journal of the International Society on Toxinology

Indirubin

1. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM

NO

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

PHENANTHRENE

1. Food additives & contaminants. Part A, Chemistry, analysis, control, exposure & risk assessment

kaempferol

1. Bioscience, biotechnology, and biochemistry

nitric oxide

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

pigment

1. General pharmacology

Activities

Persicaria tinctoria has 3 reported activities identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antibacterial, Antioxidant, Antiviral.

Antibacterial

1. Scientific data

Antioxidant

1. Applied biochemistry and biotechnology

Antiviral

1. Scientific data

Conditions

Persicaria tinctoria has 4 reported investigations on conditions identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include antiviral, inflammatory bowel disease, tumor, ulcerative colitis.

Antiviral

1. Scientific data

Inflammatory bowel disease

1. Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis

Tumor

1. Scientific data

Ulcerative colitis

1. Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis

Preparations

Persicaria tinctoria has 3 reported preparations identified across 1 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include AcOEt extract, Naju Jjok, tryptanthrin.

Acoet extract

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Naju jjok

1. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology

Tryptanthrin

1. International immunopharmacology