Polygonum aviculare L.
common knotweed (prostrate knotweed)
Polygonaceae (Buckwheat family)
Introduction to Vascular Plants
common knotweed (prostrate knotweed)
Polygonaceae (Buckwheat family)
Introduction to Vascular Plants
Species Information
General:
Annual herb from a taproot stems prostrate to erect, several, branched, ridged, 10-100 cm tall/long.
Leaves:
Basal leaves lacking; stem leaves alternate, widely linear to lanceolate-oblong, mostly bluish-green, the blades 1-3 cm long, slightly reduced upwards, the stalks short, jointed; branch leaves smaller than stem leaves; sheathing stipules brown, ragged, 3-6 mm long.
Flowers:
Inflorescence of 1-3 axillary flowers; perianths 2-3 mm long, greenish with white or pink to red margins, 5-lobed more than 1/2 the distance to the base.
Fruits:
Achenes, 3-angled, dark brown, obscurely lined lengthwise, pimply, 2.8-3.5 mm long, included to slightly exserted.
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.
Illustration Source: The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia
Ecology
Ecological Framework for Polygonum aviculare
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)
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) |
1034 | 916 | 1293 |
| Slope
Gradient (%) |
16 | 0 | 58 |
|
Aspect (degrees) |
118 | 90 | 225 |
| Soil
Moisture Regime (SMR) [0 - very xeric; 4 - mesic; 8 - hydric] |
5 | 0 | 7 |
| Modal
Nutrient Regime
Class |
E | ||
| #
of field plots species was recorded in: |
5 | ||
| Modal
BEC Zone Class |
IDF | ||
|
All BEC Zones (# of stations/zone) species was recorded in |
ICH(1), IDF(3) | ||
|
Source:
Klinkenberg 2013
|
|||
Habitat and Range
Mesic to dry disturbed sites, roadsides and waste places; common in S BC, less frequent northward; introduced from Eurasia.Status Information
Synonyms
Synonyms and Alternate Names:
Polygonum aviculare var. angustissimum Meisn.
Polygonum aviculare var. vegetum Ledeb.
Polygonum heterophyllum Lindl.
Polygonum monspeliense Pers.
Polygonum provinciale K. Koch