Family: Polygonaceae
Author: Boreau
Bibliography: Fl. Centre France, ed. 3, 2: 559 (1857)
Year: 1857
Status: accepted
Rank: species
Genus: Polygonum
Vegetable: False
Observations: Macaronesia, NW. Africa, Temp. Eurasia
Description
Oval-leaf knotweed, known scientifically as Polygonum arenastrum, flourishes as a resilient and widespread plant. This member of the Polygonaceae family can be identified by its small, oval-shaped leaves and trailing growth habit, making it a distinctive feature in various landscapes.
Originally described and documented by Boreau in the third edition of “Flora of Central France” in 1857, Polygonum arenastrum has since garnered attention for its extensive geographical distribution. It has adapted to a wide range of climates and habitats, prominently found in regions such as Macaronesia, Northwestern Africa, and temperate areas across Eurasia.
The adaptability of Oval-leaf knotweed has led it to thrive in many environments, from urban areas to wildlands, often in compacted soils where few other plants can. Its tenacious nature and ability to spread quickly make it both a common groundcover and a species of interest for study in botany and ecology.
Despite its seemingly unremarkable appearance, the resilience and spread of Polygonum arenastrum highlight its unique ecological role and adaptability, contributing to its long-standing observation and ongoing study in various parts of the world.
Common Names
Eng: common knotweed, doorweed, equal-leaved knotgrass, matweed, oval-leaf knotweed, ovalleaf knotweed, prostrate knotweed, oval leaf knotweed
Deu: trittrasen-knöterich
Cym: clymog â dail bach, y canclwm manddail
En: Oval-leaf knotweed, Ovalleaf knotweed, Equal-leaved Knotgrass, Common knotweed, Doorweed, Matweed, Prostrate knotweed, Small-leaved Knotweed
Be: Драсён тупатун
Bg: Пясъчна пача трева
Zh: 伏地蓼
Cs: Truskavec obecný
Et: Harilik linnurohi
Fi: Tannerpihatatar
Fr: Renouée des graviers, Renouée littorale
De: Gleichblättriger Vogelknöterich, Trittrasen-Knöterich, Gleichblättriger Knöterich, Sand-Vogel-Knöterich
He: ארכובית הציפורים
It: Poligono dei sabbioni
Fa: هفتبند شندوست
Zh-tw: 匍枝蓼
Cy: Y canclwm manddail, Clymog â Dail Bach
Synonyms
- Polygonum pycnophyllum (Gand.)
- Polygonum suifunense (Vorosch. & N.S.Pavlova)
- Polygonum aviculare subsp. depressum ((Meisn.) Arcang.)
- Polygonum berteroi (Phil.)
- Polygonum aviculare subsp. aequale ((Lindm.) Asch. & Graebn.)
- Polygonum planum (Skvortsov)
- Polygonum aviculare var. arenastrum ((Boreau) Nyman)
- Polygonum calcatum (Lindm.)
- Polygonum aequale (Lindm.)
- Polygonum arenastrum var. depressum ((Meisn.) Franco & Rocha Afonso)
- Polygonum montereyense (Brenckle)
- Polygonum arenastrum subsp. microspermum ((Jord. ex Boreau) H.Scholz)
- Polygonum arenastrum subsp. calcatum ((Lindm.) Wissk.)
- Polygonum lencoranicum (Kom.)
- Polygonum aviculare subsp. calcatum ((Lindm.) Thell.)
- Polygonum sparsiflorum (Vorosch.)
- Polygonum aviculare var. depressum (Meisn.)
- Polygonum microspermum (Jord. ex Boreau)
- Polygonum parvulum ((Moss) P.D.Sell)
- Polygonum aequale subvar. parvulum (Moss)
- Polygonum aviculare subsp. microspermum ((Jord. ex Boreau) Berher)
- Centinodia microsperma ((Jord. ex Boreau) Fourr.)
- Polygonum aviculare var. microspermum ((Jord. ex Boreau) St.-Lag.)
- Polygonum ebracteatum (Munshi & Javeid)
- Polygonum acetosellum (Klokov ex Kom.)
- Polygonum aviculare var. calcatum ((Lindm.) Hyl.)
- Polygonum arenastrum var. microspermum ((Jord. ex Boreau) Franco & Rocha Afonso)
- Polygonum prostratum (Skvortsov)
Distribution
- Afghanistan (native)
- Albania (native)
- Algeria (native)
- Altay (native)
- Amur (native)
- Austria (native)
- Azores (native)
- Baleares (native)
- Baltic States (native)
- Belarus (native)
- Belgium (native)
- Bulgaria (native)
- Buryatiya (native)
- Central European Rus (native)
- Chita (native)
- Corse (native)
- Czechoslovakia (native)
- Denmark (native)
- East Aegean Is. (native)
- East European Russia (native)
- Finland (native)
- France (native)
- Germany (native)
- Greece (native)
- Hungary (native)
- Iran (native)
- Iraq (native)
- Irkutsk (native)
- Italy (native)
- Kamchatka (native)
- Khabarovsk (native)
- Krasnoyarsk (native)
- Kriti (native)
- Krym (native)
- Kuril Is. (native)
- Madeira (native)
- Magadan (native)
- Manchuria (native)
- Mongolia (native)
- Morocco (native)
- Netherlands (native)
- North Caucasus (native)
- North European Russi (native)
- Northwest European R (native)
- Norway (native)
- Pakistan (native)
- Palestine (native)
- Portugal (native)
- Primorye (native)
- Romania (native)
- Sakhalin (native)
- Sardegna (native)
- Sicilia (native)
- Sinai (native)
- South European Russi (native)
- Spain (native)
- Sweden (native)
- Switzerland (native)
- Transcaucasus (native)
- Tunisia (native)
- Turkey (native)
- Turkey-in-Europe (native)
- Turkmenistan (native)
- Tuva (native)
- Ukraine (native)
- West Himalaya (native)
- West Siberia (native)
- Yakutskiya (native)
- Yugoslavia (native)
- Alabama (introduced)
- Alaska (introduced)
- Alberta (introduced)
- Arizona (introduced)
- Arkansas (introduced)
- British Columbia (introduced)
- California (introduced)
- Chile Central (introduced)
- Chile South (introduced)
- Colorado (introduced)
- Connecticut (introduced)
- Delaware (introduced)
- Florida (introduced)
- Georgia (introduced)
- Great Britain (introduced)
- Idaho (introduced)
- Illinois (introduced)
- Indiana (introduced)
- Iowa (introduced)
- Ireland (introduced)
- Japan (introduced)
- Kansas (introduced)
- Kentucky (introduced)
- Labrador (introduced)
- Louisiana (introduced)
- Maine (introduced)
- Manitoba (introduced)
- Maryland (introduced)
- Masachusettes (introduced)
- Mexico Northwest (introduced)
- Michigan (introduced)
- Minnesota (introduced)
- Missouri (introduced)
- Montana (introduced)
- Nebraska (introduced)
- Nevada (introduced)
- New Brunswick (introduced)
- New Hampshire (introduced)
- New Jersey (introduced)
- New Mexico (introduced)
- New York (introduced)
- New Zealand North (introduced)
- Newfoundland (introduced)
- North Carolina (introduced)
- North Dakota (introduced)
- Northwest Territorie (introduced)
- Nova Scotia (introduced)
- Ohio (introduced)
- Oklahoma (introduced)
- Ontario (introduced)
- Oregon (introduced)
- Pennsylvania (introduced)
- Poland (introduced)
- Prince Edward I. (introduced)
- Québec (introduced)
- Rhode I. (introduced)
- Saskatchewan (introduced)
- South Carolina (introduced)
- South Dakota (introduced)
- Tasmania (introduced)
- Tennessee (introduced)
- Texas (introduced)
- Utah (introduced)
- Vermont (introduced)
- Virginia (introduced)
- Washington (introduced)
- West Virginia (introduced)
- Wisconsin (introduced)
- Wyoming (introduced)
- Zimbabwe (introduced)
Additional Images
Flower
Taken Sep 1, 2022 by John Thompson (cc-by-sa)
Taken Sep 1, 2022 by John Thompson (cc-by-sa)
Taken Sep 7, 2009 by Martin Bishop (cc-by-sa)
Taken Sep 24, 2021 by Martin Bishop (cc-by-sa)
Taken Nov 30, 2022 by Fabrice Rubio (cc-by-sa)
Habit
Taken Feb 20, 2021 by Syr Asd (cc-by-sa)
Taken Aug 23, 2022 by M Ch (cc-by-sa)
Taken Nov 30, 2022 by Fabrice Rubio (cc-by-sa)
Taken Nov 30, 2022 by Fabrice Rubio (cc-by-sa)
© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Leaf
Taken Jul 12, 2022 by maxime fonteyne (cc-by-sa)
Taken Sep 18, 2022 by dani ta (cc-by-sa)
Taken Sep 7, 2009 by Martin Bishop (cc-by-sa)
Taken Sep 24, 2021 by Martin Bishop (cc-by-sa)
Taken Nov 30, 2022 by Fabrice Rubio (cc-by-sa)
Fruit
Taken Feb 20, 2021 by Syr Asd (cc-by-sa)
Sources
- WFO (No URL)
- IPNI (No URL)
- GBIF (https://www.gbif.org/species/5334294)
- POWO (http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:695383-1)
- PlantNet (https://identify.plantnet.org/species/the-plant-list/Polygonum arenastrum Boreau)
Specifications
Growth habit: Forb/herb
Growth
Ph maximum: 6.5
Ph minimum: 5.5
Light: 8
Atmospheric humidity: 4
Soil nutriments: 8
