Knotweed Family
Also known by several common names,
including longroot smartweed, water knotweed, water smartweed, and amphibious
bistort. It is native to much of North America and Eurasia, but it is known on
most continents as an introduced species and sometimes a noxious weed. It grows
in many types of wet habitat, such as ponds, streams, and marshes. It is a
rhizomatous perennial herb which takes a variety of forms and is quite variable
in morphology. It may be an aquatic plant, growing submerged or floating in
water bodies, it may grow in muddy and wet areas which are periodically
inundated, and it may grow in moist spots on land, such as in meadows. Dry-land
and fully aquatic plants are sometimes considered different named varieties of
the species.
The plant produces a thick stem from its rhizome. The stem
may creep, float, or grow erect, rooting at stem nodes that come in contact
with moist substrate. Stems are known to reach 3 meters long in aquatic
individuals. The stems are ribbed and may be hairless to quite hairy in
texture. Leaves are lance-shaped or take various other shapes and are borne on
petioles. They may be over 30 centimeters in length. The inflorescence is a
dense terminal cluster of many five-lobed pink flowers. Plants may have
bisexual or unisexual flowers, with some plants bearing only male or only
female flowers. The fruit is a shiny brown rounded achene around 3 millimeters
long.
Photographic Location: Rock Island State Park in TN.
Various parts of this plant were used by several Native
American groups as medicinal remedies and sometimes as food.
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