Persicaria viscosa

Names and Synonyms

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Polygonum kuekenthalii
• Polygonum viscosum var. ramosissimum
• Polygonum viscosum var. vernicosum
• Polygonum viscosum var. minor
• Persicaria kuekenthalii
• Polygonum viscosum
• Persicaria agrestis

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Caryophyllales, it is classified under the family Polygonaceae. Finally, its taxonomic identity is established within the genus Persicaria.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a diverse geographical range spanning across parts of East Asia. In the Russian Far East, it can be found specifically within the Khabarovsk and Primorye regions. Its distribution extends significantly into China, where it inhabits the Manchuria area. Furthermore, the species is widely recorded throughout China North-Central and China South-Central. These varied locations highlight the plant's ability to thrive in different ecological zones across the continent.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Persicaria viscosa is characterized by its adaptability to diverse aquatic and terrestrial environments, commonly flourishing in habitats such as crop fields, lakes, meadows, rivers, and along shores. This species exhibits a broad altitudinal distribution, spanning from lowlands to montane regions. Specifically, it can be found at elevations as low as 30 m AMSL, with a mean elevation of approximately 965 m AMSL, and it reaches its maximum recorded height of 1900 m AMSL.

Elevational range max:

1900 m AMSL

Elevational range mean:

965 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

30 m AMSL

Habitat :

crop fields, lakes, meadows, rivers, shores

Life history

The life history of Persicaria viscosa is characterized by an annual lifecycle, meaning the plant completes its entire biological development—from germination and vegetative growth to flowering and seed production—within a single growing season. As an annual species, it relies heavily on the successful production of a prolific seed bank to ensure the survival of the population in subsequent years. The developmental process typically begins with seed germination in moist, disturbed soils, followed by a period of rapid vegetative expansion where the plant utilizes its sticky, viscid stems to colonize available space. Once sufficient biomass is achieved, the plant transitions into its reproductive phase, producing inflorescences that facilitate sexual reproduction. Following the maturation of seeds, the parent plant undergoes senescence and dies, leaving the next generation to emerge from the soil when environmental conditions become favorable again.

Lifecycle :

annual

Morphology

The morphology of Persicaria viscosa is characterized by its growth form as a herb, specifically categorized as a forb. It exhibits a non-woody structure, lacking any woody tissue throughout its vegetative body. While it does not function as a climbing plant, its growth habit is described as self-supporting, allowing it to maintain its upright or spreading posture without the need for external structures for support.

Climber :

self-supporting

Growth form :

herb

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Persicaria viscosa is characterized by distinct morphological dimensions in its foliage that facilitate efficient photosynthetic activity and gas exchange. The leaves exhibit a notable range in size, with a mean length of 10 cm, though they can vary significantly from a minimum of 5 cm to a maximum length of 15 cm. In terms of lateral expansion, the leaf width fluctuates between a minimum of 2 cm and a maximum of 4 cm, creating a structural profile that optimizes light interception within its ecological niche. These varying dimensions in length and width reflect the plant's adaptive capacity to manage its surface area, influencing transpiration rates and overall metabolic efficiency.

Leaf length max:

15 cm

Leaf length mean:

10 cm

Leaf length min:

5 cm

Leaf width max:

4 cm

Leaf width min:

2 cm

Reproduction

The reproduction of Persicaria viscosa is characterized by a specific flowering season and the development of small fruit structures. The plant's flowering period typically commences in July and continues through October, though the timing can be variable depending on environmental conditions. During this reproductive phase, the plant produces inflorescences that are relatively compact, with lengths ranging from a minimum of 0.02 m to a maximum of 0.04 m. Following successful pollination, the plant develops fruits that are highly uniform in size; the fruit length is consistently measured at 0.25 cm, with the minimum, mean, and maximum values all aligning at this precise measurement.

Flowering time :

Jul

Flowering time :

Oct

Fruit length max:

0.25 cm

Inflorescence length max:

0.04 m

Inflorescence length min:

0.02 m

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Persicaria viscosa has 1 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Viscoazucine.

Viscoazucine

1. Die Pharmazie

Preparations

Persicaria viscosa has 2 reported preparations identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include methanol extract of the whole plant parts, whole plant.

Methanol extract of the whole plant parts

1. Fitoterapia

Whole plant

1. Natural product letters