General:
Annual herb from a small taproot; stems ascending to erect, numerous, simple to freely branched, 10-40 cm tall.

Leaves:
Basal leaves lacking; stem leaves alternate, linear to narrowly oblong, egg-shaped or elliptic, the blades 1-8 cm long, unstalked or nearly so, sometimes reduced to bracts above; stipules short-sheathing, 5-12 mm long, clear, becoming ragged.

Flowers:
Inflorescence of few flowers in elongate axillary racemes; perianths 1.5-5 mm long, greenish with white or pinkish margins, 5-lobed nearly to the base.

Fruits:
Achenes, lanceolate to egg-shaped, sometimes 3-angled, black, smooth and shiny, 2-4 mm long.

Source:  The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

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

Synonyms and Alternate Names:
Polygonum coarctatum var. majus Meisn.
Polygonum douglasii subsp. majus (Meisn.) J.C. Hickman