Persicaria punctata (Elliott) Small. Section: Persicaria. Common name: Dotted Smartweed. Phenology: Jul-Nov. Habitat: Swamp forests, bottomlands, marshes. Distribution: NS, ON, and BC south to FL, TX, and CA, south into the New World tropics.
Origin/Endemic status: Native
Synonymy ⓘ: = Ar, Can, Fl4, FNA5, Il, K4, Mi, Mo3, NE, NY, Pa, Tn, Tx, Va; = Polygonum punctatum Elliott — Bah, GW2, NcTx, RAB, Tat, W, WH3, WV; < Persicaria punctata (Elliott) Small — Mex; > Persicaria punctata (Elliott) Small var. leptostachya (Meisn.) Small — S, S13; > Persicaria punctata (Elliott) Small var. punctata — S, S13; < Polygonum punctatum Elliott — Horton (1972); > Polygonum punctatum Elliott var. confertiflorum (Meisn.) Fassett — C, G, Mitchell & Dean (1978); > Polygonum punctatum Elliott var. leptostachyum (Meisn.) Small — F; > Polygonum punctatum Elliott var. parvum Vict. & Rousseau — F; > Polygonum punctatum Elliott var. punctatum — C, F, G, Mitchell & Dean (1978); Polygonum punctatum Elliott. Basionym: Polygonum punctatum Elliott 1821
Links to other floras: = Persicaria punctata - FNA5
Show parent genus | Show parent in key(s)
Wetland Indicator Status:
- Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: OBL
- Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: OBL
- Great Plains: OBL
- Midwest: OBL
- Northcentral & Northeast: OBL
Heliophily ⓘ: 6
Hover over a shape, letter, icon, or arrow on the map for definition or see the legend.
© Gary P. Fleming | Original Image ⭷
no rights reserved, uploaded by Daniel Atha source CC0 | Original Image ⭷
no rights reserved, uploaded by Daniel Atha source CC0 | Original Image ⭷
no rights reserved, uploaded by Daniel Atha source CC0 | Original Image ⭷
© Radford, Ahles and Bell | Original Image ⭷
no rights reserved, uploaded by Daniel Atha source CC0 | Original Image ⭷Feedback
See something missing or incorrect about Persicaria punctata? Let us know here:
- Please include your name and if possible, email in case when need to clarify what you wrote.
- If you opt out of including email, please be as specific as possible (e.g., which photo is incorrect?)
- Please do not submit questions asking to identify plants or about horticultural topics (e.g., how do I control an invasive plant in my garden?). Instead, those questions can be submitted here for the Carolinas region only.
- Please do not send us feedback about unkeyed species as this work is ongoing.
- Please allow time for flora edits to show in our next data release. We greatly appreciate your feedback but may require extra time to research complicated taxonomic issues.
Horticultural Information
Intro: Erect-ascending annual/short-lived perennial of swamp forests, bottomlands and marshes.
Stems: Stems branched, smooth, gland-dotted.
Leaves: Leaves alternate, petiolate and with a fringed, brown, membranous sheath (ocrea) where petiole joins stem; lance-shaped; 1 1/2-6 in. long; hairy on margins; lacking a red blotch; gland-dotted.
Inforescence:
Flowers: Flowers irregularly spaced on erect-ascending spikes (2-6 in. tall), white to greenish-white, less than 1/4 in. long, usually closed and consisting of 5 tepals that are gland-dotted.
Fruits:
Comments:
Height: 6-42 in.
plant sale text:
bloom table text:
description: Erect-ascending annual/short-lived perennial of swamp forests, bottomlands and marshes.
stems: Stems branched, smooth, gland-dotted.
leaves: Leaves alternate, petiolate and with a fringed, brown, membranous sheath (ocrea) where petiole joins stem; lance-shaped; 1 1/2-6 in. long; hairy on margins; lacking a red blotch; gland-dotted.
inflorescence:
flowers: Flowers irregularly spaced on erect-ascending spikes (2-6 in. tall), white to greenish-white, less than 1/4 in. long, usually closed and consisting of 5 tepals that are gland-dotted.
fruits:
comments:
cultural notes:
germination code:
native range:
0 unsaved edits on this page.