Persicaria setosula (A.Rich.) K.L.Wilson

Flora Zambesiaca. Vol. 9, Part 3. Polygonaceae-Myriaceae. Pope GV, Polhill RM, Martins ES. 2006.

Type

Type from Ethiopia.

Morphology General Habit

An erect or decumbent perennial herb An erect or decumbent perennial herb.

Morphology Stem

Stem up to 1 m or more long, rooting at the lower nodes, glabrous or nearly so Stem up to 1 m or more long, rooting at the lower nodes, glabrous or nearly so.

Morphology Leaves

Leaf lamina 6–18(25) × 1.5–2.5(5) cm, ovate-lanceolate to elliptic.lanceolate, usually broadest below the middle, sometimes with a black inverted V-shaped spot in the middle, acute at the apex, narrowing at the base into a short petiole, appressed pubescent on both surfaces, setose on the margins and midrib above, more thickly on the midrib and lateral nerves beneath, sometimes almost glabrous; petiole up to 1 cm long Leaf lamina 6–18(25) × 1.5–2.5(5) cm, ovate-lanceolate to elliptic-lanceolate, usually broadest below the middle, sometimes with a black inverted V-shaped spot in the middle, acute at the apex, narrowing at the base into a short petiole, appressed pubescent on both surfaces, setose on the margins and midrib above, more thickly on the midrib and lateral nerves beneath, sometimes almost glabrous; petiole up to 1 cm long.

Morphology Leaves Ocrea

Ocrea 1–3 cm long, membranous, thickly covered with closely ascending bristly hairs, apex truncate and fringed with cilia up to (0.3)0.5–0.8(1.1) cm long Ocrea 1–3 cm long, membranous, thickly covered with closely ascending bristly hairs, apex truncate and fringed with cilia up to (0.3)0.5–0.8(1.1) cm long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers pedicellate, in fascicles of 1–3; fascicles surrounded by ciliate bracts and borne in ± dense, simple or branched, pedunculate spiciform racemes 2.4–6 cm long; peduncles up to 5 cm long, glabrous; bracts 1–2(5) mm long, with a terminal fringe of short bristles, glabrous or with a few orange glands Flowers pedicellate, in fascicles of 1–3; fascicles surrounded by ciliate bracts and borne in ± dense, simple or branched, pedunculate spiciform racemes 2.4–6 cm long; peduncles up to 5 cm long, glabrous; bracts 1–2(5) mm long, with a terminal fringe of short bristles, glabrous or with a few orange glands.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary

Ovary 0.8–1.5 mm long, globose; styles 2, 1.75–2 mm long, united below the middle

Ecology

Among swamp grasses, sometimes growing in water, on alluvial clay soils or loams of dry water courses; 840–1650 m.

Note

Differences from Persicaria madagascariensis are not always very clear, and some specimens like Swynnerton 1512 or R.E. Fries 169 (cited above) seem somewhat intermediate between the two.

Distribution

Mozambique Malawi Zimbabwe ZAM N, ZAM W, ZAM S, ZIM E, MAL N, MAL C, MAL S, MOZ N, MOZ M Also from Sierra Leone to Ethiopia, south through Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Dem. Rep. Congo and Angola to South Africa. Zambia

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Perianth

Perianth white, creamy-white, deep pink to bright rose-pink, 2.75–3 mm long, 5-lobed; lobes 2.5 mm long, ovate-oblong. Perianth white, creamy-white, deep pink to bright rose-pink, 2.75–3 mm long, 5-lobed; lobes 2.5 mm long, ovate-oblong

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens 7; filaments 1.5–2 mm long, filiform; anthers 0.25 mm in diameter, globose. Stamens 7; filaments 1.5–2 mm long, filiform; anthers 0.25 mm in diameter, globose

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil

Ovary 0.8–1.5 mm long, globose; styles 2, 1.75–2 mm long, united below the middle.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Nut black, smooth and shiny, 2–3(3.25) mm in diameter, biconvex-lenticular or obscurely trigonous, more rarely acutely trigonous. Nut black, smooth and shiny, 2–3(3.25) mm in diameter, biconvex-lenticular or obscurely trigonous, more rarely acutely trigonous.

Polygonaceae, R. A. Graham. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1958

Morphology General Habit

A variable, ± robust perennial.

Morphology Stem

Stems basally decumbent, rooting at the nodes, often reddish, glabrous or nearly so, up to 1 m. or more tall.

Morphology Leaves Ocrea

Ocreae 1–3 cm. long, membranous, thinly to (more commonly) thickly covered with closely ascending bristly hairs 1–2.5 mm. long, terminally truncate and (at least when young) with a terminal fringe of bristles (0.3) 0.5–1.1 cm. long.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves shortly petiolate, variable in size and shape, commonly 11–12 × 2–2.5 cm., ovate-acuminate, ovate-lanceolate, or elliptic-lanceolate, broadest usually below the middle, sometimes (as in holotype) with a black blotch in the form of a reversed V in the centre, apically acute, basally narrowed to the petiole, usually setose on the margin and midrib of the upper surface, more thickly so on the midrib and lateral nerves below and thinly so on the lamina, but varying to almost glabrous; lateral nerves of the undersurface often alternately prominent and obscure, the prominent ones 0.4–1.0 cm. apart.

Morphology Leaves Petiole

Petioles up to 1 cm. long, commonly less.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence simple or branched, racemose, moderately stout, the peduncles 2–3 together and arising often at an acute angle, 2.4–6.0 cm. long, ± densely flowered.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Peduncles

Peduncles glabrous, more rarely setose.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts

Bracts usually with a terminal fringe of short bristles 1–2 (–5) mm. long, otherwise glabrous, sometimes dotted with a few orange glands.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Pedicel

Pedicels short, rarely exceeding the bracts by more than 1.25 mm.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Perianth

Perianth white to deep pink, sparsely or not glandular, 2.75–3.0 mm. long. Tepals 5, ovate-oblong, 2–2.5 mm. long, rarely more.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style

Styles 2, 1.75–2 mm. long, united for 0.5–0.75 mm.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Nut 2–3 (–3.25) mm. long, smooth, shining, evenly biconvex-lenticular or with one side swollen to become obscurely trigonous, rarely ± acutely trigonous.

Figures

Fig. 4/1 and 2, p. 23.

Habitat

Damp places, sometimes growing in water; especially in upland areas from 1050-2670 m.

Distribution

range uncertain outside tropical and subtropical Africa K3 K4 K5 T2 T3 T4 T6 T7 T8 U1 U2 U3 U4

Polygonaceae, Hutchinson and Dalziel. Flora of West Tropical Africa 1:1. 1954

Morphology General Habit

Perennial herb, decumbent below, to 3 ft. high.