Persicaria maculosa
Gray RedshankDecumbent to erect annual (rarely perennial) to c. 60 cm high, stems glabrous or with a few short, scattered, subappressed hairs. Ochreas ciliate at apex, usually with short appressed hairs on sheath. Leaves lanceolate, 3–15 cm long, 4–25 mm wide, often with a dark purplish blotch about midway on upper surface, margins and main veins (and often lamina) with short antrorsely appressed bristles, usually with raised glands or tubercles on lower surface; petiole to c. 1 cm long. Spikes ovoid to broadly cylindric, mostly 1–3 cm long, 7–10 mm diam., more or less erect; peduncle c. 1–4 cm long; perianth segments 2–3.5 mm long, pink, sometimes pale, free for about two-thirds their length. Nut broadly ovate, flattish, weakly biconvex, or trigonous, 2–2.5 mm long and almost as wide, smooth and shining, blackish. Flowers Jan.–May.
GleP, VVP, VRiv, GipP, Gold, CVU, NIS, EGL, EGU, HSF, HNF, Strz, VAlp. Also naturalised WA, SA, NSW, ACT, Tas. Native to Europe. Rather uncommon, mainly in southern Victoria, along watercourses or in depressions, usually in altered, often weedy, vegetation (e.g. Portland, Camperdown, outer Melbourne, Maffra, Briagolong, Cann River).
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
