Polygonum plebeium
R.Br. Small KnotweedProstrate, often reddish-purple, annual, to c. 30 cm diam., young stems minutely verrucose along the narrow ridges. Ochreas 1.5--3.5 mm long, irregularly fimbriate at apex. Leaves oblong to very narrowly elliptic, 4–12(–18) mm long, 0.5–2 mm wide, margins usually recurved, minutely verrucose, lower surface obscurely dotted, lateral veins not apparent. Flowers in 2s or 3s in axils; perianth 1–2.5 mm long, the segments united for up to c. one-third their length from the base, mostly white or pink. Fruiting perianth not or barely enlarged. Nut with 3 more or less equal flat or slightly concave faces, c. 1–1.5 mm long, dark brown, smooth and shining. Flowers most of year.
MuM, Wim, VVP, VRiv, MSB, RobP, MuF, GipP, OtP, Gold, CVU, GGr, NIS, EGU, HSF, VAlp. All mainland States. New Zealand, Malesia, Asia. Locally common on floodplains and drying lake-beds, mostly about the Murray River downstream from near Cobram, with isolated occurrences near Natimuk, Heywood and Lara in the west, and Lake Glenmaggie in the east.
Walsh, N.G. (1996). Polygonaceae. In: Walsh, N.G.; Entwisle, T.J., Flora of Victoria Vol. 3, Dicotyledons Winteraceae to Myrtaceae, pp. 272–295. Inkata Press, Melbourne.
Spinning
