Persicaria amphibia var. stipulacea (N. Coleman) H. Hara (N. Coleman) H. Hara
water smartweed
Polygonaceae (Buckwheat family)

Introduction to Vascular Plants

Photograph

© Brian Klinkenberg     (Photo ID #25230)


Map

E-Flora BC Static Map

Distribution of Persicaria amphibia var. stipulacea
Click here to view the full interactive map and legend

Species Information

General:
Perennial herb from a rhizome or stolon; stems prostrate and freely rooting to ascending, several, simple, with erect tips and flowering branches up to 30-80 cm tall/long.
Leaves:
Basal leaves lacking; stem leaves lanceolate to egg-shaped, usually floating, smooth above, hairy to smooth below, the blades 5-15 cm long, the stalks up to 1/2 as long as the blades; stipules smooth to hairy, cylindric, 1-2 cm long.
Flowers:
Inflorescence of 1 or 2 terminal or subterminal, spikelike panicles, 1-8 cm long, 1-2 cm wide; perianths scarlet to rose, 4-5 mm long, 5-lobed.
Fruits:
Achenes, lens-shaped, brown to black, smooth, shiny or sometimes dull, 2.5-3 mm long.
Notes:
Two intergrading varieties occur in BC:

1. Stalks usually glandular-hairy; inflorescence usually at least 4 cm long, cylindric................... var. emersa Michx.

1. Stalks usually smooth; inflorescence rarely 4 cm long, egg-shaped.................... var. stipulacea (Coleman) Fern.

SourceThe Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Illustration

If more than one illustration is available for a species (e.g., separate illustrations were provided for two subspecies) then links to the separate images will be provided below. Note that individual subspecies or varietal illustrations are not always available.

Ecology

Ecological Framework for Persicaria amphibia var. stipulacea

The table below shows the species-specific information calculated from
original data (BEC database) provided by the BC Ministry of Forests and Range.
(Updated August, 2013)

Site Information
Value / Class

Avg

Min

Max

Elevation (metres)
1040 1040 1040
Slope Gradient (%)
0 0 0

Aspect (degrees)
[0 - N; 90 - E; 180 - S; 270 - W]

0
Soil Moisture Regime (SMR)
[0 - very xeric; 4 - mesic;
8 - hydric]
7 7 8
Modal Nutrient Regime
Class
C
# of field plots
 species was recorded in:
2
Modal BEC Zone Class
ICH

All BEC Zones (# of stations/zone) species was recorded in

ICH(2)

Habitat and Range

Wet shorelines, ditches and shallow water in the lowland, steppe and montane zones; var. emersum - infrequent in S BC, rare northward to NE BC, var. stipulaceum - common throughout BC; N to AK, YT and NT, E to NF and S to FL, TX and CA.

SourceThe Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Synonyms

Synonyms and Alternate Names:
Polygonum amphibium var. stipulaceum Coleman