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Polygonum scandens L.

Climbing false buckwheat

KingdomPlantaePlants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae
SubkingdomTracheobiontaVascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients
DivisionMagnoliophytaFlowering plants, also known as angiosperms
ClassMagnoliopsidaDicotyledons—plants with two initial seed leaves
SubclassCaryophyllidaeCacti, many other succulents, carnivorous plants, and leadworts
OrderCaryophyllalesIncludes cacti, carnations, amaranths, ice plants, and many carnivorous plants
FamilyPolygonaceaeKnotweed or smartweed family
GenusPolygonumGreek poly, “many,” and gonu, “knee,” for the swollen jointed stems
Speciesscandens“Climbing”

About plant names...

Climbing buckwheat is a common, robust North American native. The genus Polygonum means "many knees"—a reference to the jointed sheaths the are found wherever leaf stems meet the vine.

Plants: These vines twist and clamber rapidly over other plants, reaching lengths up to 20′ (6.1 m). The green vines often turn deep red in the sun, and are hairless.

Leaves: Ovate (heart-shaped), almost sagittate (arrowhead-shaped), sharp-tipped, alternate, up to 2″ (5 cm) × 4″ (10 cm). Where each leaf stem attaches to the vine, the vine is somewhat swollen, forming a sort of protective sheath. Leaf stems are up to 1½″ (3.8 cm) long.

Flowers: The flower clusters (racemes) are 2-8″ (5-20 cm) long, composed of greenish, rather unflowerlike flowers bordered with three tepals that are the fruit. Flowers are ¼″ (8.5 mm) around.

Fruits: Greenish and bordered with white or pink. about ¼″ (8.5 mm) around.

 

Polygonum scandens (climbing false buckwheat)

9/14/2009 · Near Nashoba Hospital, Ayer, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 1 × 2′ (41 × 62 cm) ID is uncertain

Polygonum scandens (climbing false buckwheat)

6/28/2012 · Mt. Watatic, Ashby, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 4 × 6″ (10 × 15 cm) ID is uncertain

Some similar species:

 
Polygonum convolvulus
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Polygonum scandens

Polygonum cilinode
Common Name

black bindweed

climbing false buckwheat

fringed bindweed
Plant Vine up to 3′ (1 m) long. At leaf nodes there is an ocrea. Vines up to 20′ (6.1 m) long. Stems are light green to bright red, almost hairless. Where leaves attach to the stem, there is a protective sheath, or ocrea Stems are 12-197″ (30-500 cm) long. It climbs by twining around other stems, from right to left. There are stiff bristles at each node (ocrea. Each ocrea is 1/16-⅛″ (3-4 mm) long.
Flowers Small, greenish-pink to greenish-white, in racemes (bunches); individual flowers are ⅛″ (4 mm) long, racemes are up to 2½″ (6.3 cm) long Racemes are 2-8″ (5-20 cm) long, with small greenish flowers. Panicles are 1½-4″ (4-10 cm) long, comprised of greenish-white or pink-fringed flowers. Each flower is 5-parted. Flowers appear from June to October.
Leaves Alternate, triangular or heart-shaped, lower corners of leaves aim inward toward the petiole (leaf stem) Ovate, approaching sagittate (shaped like an arrowhead), up to 2″ (5 cm) × 4″ (10 cm). Leaf petioles are up to 1½″ (3.8 cm) long Alternate, oval to triangular, with wavy margins, often with reddish veins standing out. Their stems (petioles) are ⅜-2″ (1-6 cm) long.
Fruit Three-sided, with a single dull black seed Greenish, with white or pink borders. ⅛-3/16″ (4-6 mm) seeds are black and very shiny.
Range/ Zones

Type Wild Wild Wild

 

Edibility: The seeds can be processed into flour.

Online References:

Illinois Wildflowers

Southeastern Flora, the Southeastern U.S. Plant Identification Resource

The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

EFloras

References:

Clemants, Steven; Gracie, Carol, Wildflowers in the Field and Forest, Oxford University Press, 2006, p. 272

Polygonum scandens (climbing false buckwheat)

9/14/2009 · Near Nashoba Hospital, Ayer, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 12 × 17″ (29 × 44 cm) ID is uncertain

Polygonum scandens (climbing false buckwheat)

7/17/2019 · Oceanview, Falmouth, Maine · ≈ 8 × 5″ (20 × 13 cm)

Polygonum scandens (climbing false buckwheat)

6/28/2012 · Mt. Watatic, Ashby, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 3 × 4½″ (7.9 × 11 cm) ID is uncertain

Polygonum scandens (climbing false buckwheat)

9/11/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 6 × 9″ (14 × 22 cm)

Polygonum scandens (climbing false buckwheat)

9/11/2012 · Mt. Watatic, Ashburnham, Mass­a­chu­setts ID is uncertain

Polygonum scandens (climbing false buckwheat)

9/11/2012 · Mt. Watatic, Ashburnham, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 6 × 4″ (15 × 10 cm) ID is uncertain

 

Polygonum scandens description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 6 Sep 2021.

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Polygonum scandens (climbing false buckwheat)

9/11/2012 · Mt. Watatic, Ashburnham, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 6 × 4″ (15 × 10 cm) ID is uncertain

Polygonum scandens (climbing false buckwheat)

6/28/2012 · Mt. Watatic, Ashby, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 8 × 5″ (19 × 13 cm) ID is uncertain

Polygonum scandens (climbing false buckwheat)

9/11/2012 · Mt. Watatic, Ashburnham, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 6 × 4″ (15 × 10 cm) ID is uncertain

Polygonum scandens (climbing false buckwheat)

9/14/2009 · Near Nashoba Hospital, Ayer, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 12 × 17″ (29 × 44 cm) ID is uncertain

Polygonum scandens (climbing false buckwheat)

6/28/2012 · Mt. Watatic, Ashby, Mass­a­chu­setts · ≈ 3 × 4½″ (7.9 × 11 cm) ID is uncertain

Polygonum scandens (climbing false buckwheat)

7/17/2019 · Oceanview, Falmouth, Maine · ≈ 8 × 5″ (20 × 13 cm)

Range:

About this map...