3,513
edits
Note: This is a project under development. The articles on this wiki are just being initiated and broadly incomplete. You can Help creating new pages.
Changes
Created page with "thumb|right|''Persicaria maculosa'', ''Spotted lady's thumb'' '''Spotted lady's thumb''' or '''Persicaria maculosa''' (syn. Polygonum..."
[[File:PolygonumPersicara-plant-sm.jpg|thumb|right|''Persicaria maculosa'', ''Spotted lady's thumb'']]
'''Spotted lady's thumb''' or '''Persicaria maculosa''' (syn. Polygonum persicaria) is an annual plant in the buckwheat family, Polygonaceae. Common names include lady's thumb, spotted lady's thumb, Jesusplant, and redshank.<ref name="int"/> It is widespread across Eurasia from Iceland south to Portugal and east to Japan.<ref name="int2"/> It is also present as an introduced and invasive species in North America, where it was first noted in the Great Lakes region in 1843 and has now spread through most of the continent.
== Description ==
Persicaria maculosa is an annual herb up to 80 cm (31 in) tall, with an erect rather floppy stem with swollen joints. The leaves are alternate and almost stalkless. The leaf blades often have a brown or black spot in the centre and are narrowly ovate and have entire margins. Each leaf base has stipules which are fused into a stem-enclosing sheath that is loose and fringed with long hairs at the upper end. The inflorescence is a dense spike. The perianth of each tiny pink flower consists of four or five lobes, fused near the base. There are six stamens, two fused carpels and two styles. The fruit is a shiny black, three-edged achene. This plant flowers from July to September in the temperate Northern Hemisphere.<ref name="int2"/><ref name="des"/>
== Uses ==
*Persicaria maculosa contains persicarin and tannins. In medicine, redshank is used against diarrhoea and infections.
*The leaves and young shoots may be eaten as a palatable and nutritious leaf vegetable.
*A yellow dye can be produced from this plant with alum used as a mordant.
== References ==
<references>
<ref name="int">[https://npgsweb.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxonomydetail.aspx?409768 Persicaria maculosa]</ref>
<ref name="int2">[http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=220010832 Flora of China, Polygonum persicaria Linnaeus, 1753. 蓼 liao]</ref>
<ref name="des">[http://www.luontoportti.com/suomi/en/kukkakasvit/redshank "Redshank: Persicaria maculosa"]</ref>
</references>
== External Links ==
*[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persicaria_maculosa Persicaria maculosa - Wikipedia]
[[Category:Herbs]]
'''Spotted lady's thumb''' or '''Persicaria maculosa''' (syn. Polygonum persicaria) is an annual plant in the buckwheat family, Polygonaceae. Common names include lady's thumb, spotted lady's thumb, Jesusplant, and redshank.<ref name="int"/> It is widespread across Eurasia from Iceland south to Portugal and east to Japan.<ref name="int2"/> It is also present as an introduced and invasive species in North America, where it was first noted in the Great Lakes region in 1843 and has now spread through most of the continent.
== Description ==
Persicaria maculosa is an annual herb up to 80 cm (31 in) tall, with an erect rather floppy stem with swollen joints. The leaves are alternate and almost stalkless. The leaf blades often have a brown or black spot in the centre and are narrowly ovate and have entire margins. Each leaf base has stipules which are fused into a stem-enclosing sheath that is loose and fringed with long hairs at the upper end. The inflorescence is a dense spike. The perianth of each tiny pink flower consists of four or five lobes, fused near the base. There are six stamens, two fused carpels and two styles. The fruit is a shiny black, three-edged achene. This plant flowers from July to September in the temperate Northern Hemisphere.<ref name="int2"/><ref name="des"/>
== Uses ==
*Persicaria maculosa contains persicarin and tannins. In medicine, redshank is used against diarrhoea and infections.
*The leaves and young shoots may be eaten as a palatable and nutritious leaf vegetable.
*A yellow dye can be produced from this plant with alum used as a mordant.
== References ==
<references>
<ref name="int">[https://npgsweb.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxonomydetail.aspx?409768 Persicaria maculosa]</ref>
<ref name="int2">[http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=220010832 Flora of China, Polygonum persicaria Linnaeus, 1753. 蓼 liao]</ref>
<ref name="des">[http://www.luontoportti.com/suomi/en/kukkakasvit/redshank "Redshank: Persicaria maculosa"]</ref>
</references>
== External Links ==
*[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persicaria_maculosa Persicaria maculosa - Wikipedia]
[[Category:Herbs]]
