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Species of plant From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Persicaria hydropiperoides, commonly called swamp smartweed, mild waterpepper, false waterpepper,[3][4][5][6] or sometimes simply waterpepper,[7] is a species of flowering plant in the buckwheat family. It has a widespread distribution across much of North America and South America.[8][9][10][11][12] Its preferred habitat is in moist, saturated to inundated soils growing in full sun to partial shade; such as swamp forests, marshes, streams, shorelines, and ditches.[3][4][7] It is sometimes semi-aquatic.[citation needed]
Persicaria hydropiperoides | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Order: | Caryophyllales |
Family: | Polygonaceae |
Genus: | Persicaria |
Species: | P. hydropiperoides |
Binomial name | |
Persicaria hydropiperoides | |
Synonyms[1][2] | |
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Swamp smartweed is quite variable and is sometimes divided into several varieties, some of which may be better treated as species in their own right.[2]
In general, swamp smartweed is a rhizomatous perennial herb growing upright or erect and approaching a maximum height of one meter (40 inches). Roots may emerge from nodes on the lower stem. The bristly lance-shaped leaves are around 10 centimeters (4 inches) long. The leaves have sheathing stipules known as ochreae. The spike-like inflorescence produces many pinkish flowers each about 3 millimeters wide.[2]
Swamp smartweed is reported to be edible, as are all species in the genus Persicaria.[13] Although its close relatives Persicaria hydropiper and Persicaria punctata are known to possess a hot or pungent quality when consumed, swamp smartweed is said to lack the same pungency by at least one author.[13]
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