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Lobed Leaf Knotweed
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Lobed Leaf Knotweed
ative Photo: Thingnam Girija
Common name: Lobed Leaf Knotweed
Botanical name: Persicaria runcinata    Family: Polygonaceae (Knotweed family)
Synonyms: Polygonum runcinatum, Polygonum panduriforme, Polygonum panduriforme

Lobed Leaf Knotweed is a perennial herb, with stout rhizomes. Stems are nearly erect or ascending, 1-2 ft tall. Leaves of this plant easily distinguish it from other knotweeds. Leaf stalk is 1-1.5 cm, narrowly winged, and the base is distinctly eared. Upper leaves are often shortly stalked or stalkless. Leaf blade is 4-8 cm long, 2-4 cm wide, pinnately cut into lobes. The end lobe is triangular, large, with a pointed tip. Lateral lobes are 1-3 pairs, smaller, margin shortly hairy, and tip blunt. Flowers are born in dense, rounded clusters, 0.5-1.5 cm in diameter. The stalk carrying the cluster is distinctly covered with glandular hairs. Flowers are pinkish or white, 5-parted. Tepals are narrowly ovate, 3-3.5 mm. Stamens usually 8, not peeping out. Anthers are purple. Styles are 3, fused below the middle. Lobed Leaf Knotweed is found on grassy slopes, mountain slopes, wet valleys of Eastern Himalayas, particularly Sikkim and Bhutan, at altitudes of 800-3900 m.

Identification credit: Tabish Photographed in Gangtok, Sikkim.

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