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Mile-a-minute weed (Persicaria perfoliata)

Dlium Mile-a-minute weed (Persicaria perfoliata)

Asiatic tearthumb (Persicaria perfoliata) is a species of plant in the Polygonaceae, perennial shrub, growing vines with thorny stems, triangular leaves, fruits in dense clusters, growing wild in forests, farmlands and roadsides.

P. perfoliata has a cylindrical, branched, reddish stem with rows of strong, downward-pointing spines. The leaves have long stalks and rows of spines. Green or reddish surface, pointed tip, three main veins with many small pinnate veins and lower surface has rows of spines.



Flower buds, flowers and fruit emerge from within the ocreas. Flowers are small, white and generally inconspicuous. The fruits grow in clusters, are round, segmented, green or yellow or red or blue, each segment containing a black or reddish-black seed.

This plant prefers warm open areas on riverbanks, parks, open spaces, road shoulders, forest edges to very wet with poor soil structure. The fruit can stay afloat for 7-9 days and spread seeds long distances in river environments. Long vines often hang over waterways.

The tender leaves and shoots can be eaten raw or cooked as a salad green or sweet and can be eaten fresh. The stem is used as a fiber or material in making rope.

TAXON

Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Tracheophyta
Subphylum: Angiospermae
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Polygonaceae
Subfamily: Polygonoideae
Tribe: Persicarieae
Subtribe: Persicariinae
Genus: Persicaria (L.) Mill. in Gard. Dict. Abr., ed. 4.: [s.p.] (1754)
Species: Persicaria perfoliata (L.) H.Gross in Beih. Bot. Centralbl., Abt. 2. 37: 113 (1919)

HOMOTYPIC SYNONYMS

Ampelygonum perfoliatum (L.) Roberty & Vautier in Boissiera 10: 31 (1964)
Chylocalyx perfoliatus (L.) Hassk. ex Miq. in Fl. Ned. Ind. 1(1): 1012 (1858)
Echinocaulon perfoliatus (L.) Hassk. in Flora 25(2, Beibl. 1): 20 (1842)
Fagopyrum perfoliatum (L.) Raf. in Fl. Tellur. 3: 10 (1837)
Polygonum perfoliatum L. in Syst. Nat., ed. 10. 2: 1005 (1759)
Tracaulon perfoliatum (L.) Greene in Leafl. Bot. Observ. Crit. 1: 22 (1904)
Truellum perfoliatum (L.) Soják in Preslia 46: 148 (1974)

HETEROTYPIC SYNONYMS

Polygonum arifolium var. perfoliatum L. in Syst. Nat., ed. 10. 2: 1006 (1759)
Polygonum paucifoliatum Gand. in Rev. Bot. Bull. Mens. 1: 88 (1882)

PUBLICATIONS

Chang, C.S., Kim, H. & Chang, K.S. (2014). Provisional checklist of vascular plants for the Korea peninsula flora (KPF): 1-660. DESIGNPOST.

Chayamarit, K. & Balslev, H. (2018). Flora of Thailand 14(1): 1-184. The Forest Herbarium, Royal Forest Department.

Flora of North America Editorial Committee (2005). Flora of North America North of Mexico 5: 1-656. Oxford University Press, New York, Oxford.

Grierson, A.J.C. & Long, D.G. (1983). Flora of Bhutan 1(1): 1-186. Royal Botanic Gardens, Edinburgh.

Hassler, M. & Muer, T. (2022). Flora Germanica: alle Farn- und Blütenpflanzen Deutschlands in Text und Bild 2: 865-1712. Verlag Regionalkultur, Uberstadt-Weiher.

Iwatsuki, K., Boufford, D.E. & Ohba, H. (eds.) (2006). Flora of Japan IIa: 1-550. Kodansha Ltd., Tokyo.

Jones, R.L. (2005). Plant life of Kentucky. An illustrated guide to the vascular flora: 1-833. The universitry press of Kentucky.

Knapp, W.M. & Naczi, R.F.C. (2021). Vascular plants of Maryland, USA. A comprehensive account of the state's botanical diversity. Smithsonian Contributions to Botany 113: 1-151.

Park, C.W. (ed.) (2018). Flora of Korea 3: 1-131. National Institute of Biological Resources.

Rajbhandari, K.R., Rai, S.K. & Chhetri, R. (2021). A Handbook of the Flowering Plants of Nepal 3: 1-331. Department of Plant Resources, Thapathali, Kathmandu, Nepal.

Takahashi, H. (2024). Plants of Sakhalin island: 1-791. Hokkaido University Press.

VERNACULAR NAME

Asia: Spiny knotweed
Chinese (simplified): 扛板归 - 杠板归
Chinese (traditional): 扛板歸 - 杠板歸 - 貫葉蓼
Dutch: Gestekelde duizendknoop, Persicaria
English: Asiatic tearthumb, Mile-a-minute weed, Mile-a-minute, Devil's tail, Giant climbing tearthumb, Perfoliate knotweed, Spiny knotweed
Europe: Asiatic tearthumb
Filipino: Kangigit, Ligu
Finnish: Raastotatar
French: Renouée perfoliée
German: Durchwachsener Knöterich
Hong Kong: 杠板歸 - 貫葉蓼
Indonesian: Ekor setan
Japanese: イシミカワ
Java: Wedusan, Gambet gunung
Korean: 며느리배꼽
Macao: 杠板歸 - 貫葉蓼
Manipuri: Lilhar
Nepali: घुमाउरो काँडा - अमिलो पिउरे लाहारो - बाख्रे आँखला - फाफ्रे झार Ghumaauro Kaandaa, Amilo Piure Laharo, Baakhre Aankhlaa, Phaaphre Jhaar
Russian: Горец пронзённолистный - Горец пронзенный
Slovak: Horčiak prerastenolistý
Swedish: Gisselpilört
Taiwan: 扛板歸
Telugu: Chepamullu kura
Thai: สมคมเคียง Somkhomkhiang
Turkish: Kapliçotu
United States: Mile-a-minute weed

Aryo Bandoro
Dlium TheDlium
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dlium
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