Robust, dioecious perennial herbs with extensive subterranean rhizomes and stout, erect to ascending annual stems
Leaves
petiolate, large, alternate, broadly ovate-triangular to ovate-oblong, acute or acuminate at apex, cordate or truncate at base, with a small sinus; ocrea rather simple, brown, membranous
Inflorescence
branched; peduncles shortly hairy
Flowers
long-stalked, unisexual, with rudiments of stamens in female flowers and of gynoecium in male flowers
Perianth
of 5 segments, outer 3 keeled, eventually enlarged and winged
Stamens
usually 8, included, sometimes exserted
Ovary
3-angled with 3 styles; stigmas fimbriate
Fruit
a 3-angled nut, ovate in outline, brown
x = 11 (polyploidy)
Nomenclature:
*Reynoutria
Houtt.
Houttuyn: 639 (1777)
Webb: 81 (1964)
Haraldson: 75 (1978)
Brandbyge: 541 (1993)
Distribution & Notes:
Global
: Species ± 15, in temperate Asia
Southern Africa
: *
Reynoutria sachalinensis
(F.Schmidt) Nakai occasionally found as an escape
References:
BRANDBYGE, J. 1993.
Polygonaceae
. In K. Kubitzki, J.G. Rohwer and V. Bittrich,
The families and genera of vascular plants
2. Springer-Verlag, Berlin
HARALDSON, K. 1978. Anatomy and taxonomy in
Polygonaceae
subfam.
Polygonoideae
Meissn. emend. Jaretzky.
Symbolae Botanicae Upsaliensis
22,2
HOUTTUYN, M. 1777.
Natuurlijke historie
2, 8. Amsterdam
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