Jepson Herbarium
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Annual to shrub [ tree].
Stem: nodes swollen or not.
Leaf: simple, basal or cauline, generally alternate; ocreae present or 0, generally scarious, persistent or not.
Inflorescence: flower clusters in axillary to terminal cyme-, panicle-, raceme-, spike-, umbel- or head-like arrangements, entire inflorescence or main inflorescence branches generally subtended by bracts (" inflorescence bracts"); peduncles present or 0; flower clusters in Eriogoneae-Eriogonoideae subtended by involucre of >= 1 free or ± fused, sometimes awn-tipped bracts (" involucre bracts") or, in Polygonoideae and rarely in Eriogonoideae, not (if bracts completely fused, involucre "tubular"); pedicels in Eriogoneae each often subtended by 2 free, transparent, linear bractlets or in Polygonoideae all subtended by 2+ fused, membranous, wide bractlets.
Flower: generally bisexual, small, 1–200 per node; perianth parts 2–6, generally in 2 whorls, free or basally fused, generally petal-like, often ± concave adaxially, often darker at midvein, often turning ± red or ± brown in age; stamens [1]3 or 6–9 in 2 whorls; ovary superior, 1-chambered, ovule 1, styles 1–3.
Fruit: achenes, included in or exserted from perianth, generally 3-angled, ovoid or elliptic, generally glabrous.
48 genera, ± 1200 species: worldwide, especially n temperate; some cultivated for food (Coccoloba, sea-grape; Fagopyrum, Rheum, Rumex) or ornamental (Antigonon, lovechain; Coccoloba; Muehlenbeckia; Persicaria; Polygonum), a few timbered (Coccoloba; Triplaris). Several (Emex; Fallopia; Persicaria; Polygonum; Rumex) are weeds. [Freeman & Reveal 2005 FNANM 5:216–601] Treatment of genera in Eriogonoideae based on monographic work of James L. Reveal. Involucre number throughout is number (1–many) per ultimate grouping, at tips of ultimate branches; flower number is per flower cluster or involucre, unless otherwise stated. Fagopyrum esculentum Moench not naturalized, considered an historical waif (or garden weed ± presently), therefore not treated. —Scientific Editor: Thomas J. Rosatti.

Key to Polygonaceae

Annual, perennial herbs to shrub.
Stem: prostrate to erect, 8–16-ribbed or 4–5-angled with ribs 0 or obscure; glabrous or papillate-scabrous.
Leaf: cauline, alternate, petioled or not; ocrea generally jointed to leaf, generally cylindric proximally, generally translucent distally, white or silvery, 2-lobed, glabrous, disintegrating to fibers or completely; blade linear, lanceolate, elliptic, ovate, or subround, entire.
Inflorescence: axillary, terminal, generally spike-like; peduncle 0; pedicels present or 0, included in to exserted from bractlets; flowers 1–7(10).
Flower: bisexual, base not stalk-like; perianth not enlarging, bell- to urn-shaped, glabrous, white or green-white to pink; perianth parts 5, fused 3–60[70]%, petal- or sepal-like, similar [or not], outer ± keeled or not, < to > inner, midveins generally a different shade or color than rest of perianth; stamens 3–8 (some staminodes or not), filaments or at least innermost free, wider at base, fused to perianth tube or not, anthers elliptic to oblong, white-yellow or generally pink to purple (orange-pink); styles (2)3, generally spreading, free or fused basally, stigmas 2–3, head-like.
Fruit: included or exserted, wings 0, angles (2)3, 1 face much narrower than other (1)2 or not; tip beak-like, yellow-green, brown, or black.
Seed: embryo curved.
± 65 species: ± worldwide; sect. Duravia restricted to w North America. (Greek: many, knee joint or seed, of uncertain meaning) [Costea 2005 Brittonia 57:1–27] Many species of sect. Polygonum with 2 kinds of fruit, differing in germination and morphology (summer fruit brown, ovate, tubercled to smooth; late-season fruit olive-green, lanceolate, smooth, 2–5 × > summer), but of little taxonomic importance. Mature, early-season plants with leaves, flowers, fruits needed for identification. Fls "closed" or "1/2-open" should be determined on herbarium specimens. Other taxa in TJM (1993) moved to Aconogonon, Bistorta, Fallopia, Persicaria.
Unabridged etymology: (Greek: poly, many, gony, knee joint, or gone, seed, of uncertain meaning)

Perennial to shrub.
Stem: prostrate or ascending, 10–100 cm, glabrous, covered with ocreae remains, brown, ± angled, branched, rooting at nodes.
Leaf: crowded distally; ocreae 15–20 mm, glabrous, proximally cylindric to funnel-shaped, distally ± persistent, disintegrating to white-gray curly fibers; petiole 0–0.5 mm; blade (5)10–20(33) mm, 3–8 mm wide, linear to oblanceolate, leathery, margin rolled under, smooth, tip acute or mucronate.
Inflorescence: axillary; pedicels included in or ± at same level as bractlets, erect to spreading, 2–5 mm; flowers 2–5, crowded distally.
Flower: 1/2- open or open; perianth (4.5)5–10 mm, pink or white, (red-brown when dry), tube 22–48% of length, lobes partially overlapped, oblong-ovate to ± lanceolate, not keeled, tip rounded, midvein branched; stamens 8.
Fruit: included or ± exserted, 4–5 mm, ovate, black, shiny, smooth.
Coastal dunes, scrub; < 50 m. North Coast, Central Coast;

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Next taxon: Polygonum parryi

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Citation for the whole project: Jepson Flora Project (eds.) [year] Jepson eFlora, http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/IJM.html [accessed on month, day, year]
Citation for an individual treatment: [Author of taxon treatment] [year]. [Taxon name] in Jepson Flora Project (eds.) Jepson eFlora, [URL for treatment]. Accessed on [month, day, year].

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Bioregions in which taxon occurs	Red area (if present) is the part of the bioregion lying between the upper and lower elevation limits of the taxon; markers link to CCH specimen records. If the markers are obscured, reload the page [or change window size and reload]. Yellow markers indicate records that may have georeferencing or identification issues.
Chart based on elevation range in Manual and elevations and coordinates of CCH records. Data provided by the participants of the Consortium of California Herbaria. Note: About half of the CCH records include both elevation and coordinates.	Map made in collaboration with Scott Loarie. Data provided by the participants of the Consortium of California Herbaria. View all CCH records   CCH collections by month Duplicates counted once; synonyms included. Species do not include records of infraspecific taxa. Blue line denotes Manual flowering time.