Polygonum buxiforme Small

Polygonum buxiforme Small

≡ P. aviculare subsp. buxiforme (Small) Costea & Tardif ≡ Polygonum littorale Small, not Link ≡ P. aviculare var. buxifolium (Small) Ledeb. ≡ P. buxifolium Nutt. ex Bong., not Bieb.

Lectotype (designated by Costea & Tardif, 2003: 988). U.S.A. Cumberland Gap, Lee County (Virginia), 27 July 1892, 1500 feet, Small s.n. (NY00323754!). (http://sweetgum.nybg.org/science/vh/specimen–details/?irn=547585).

Description:― Annuals. Stems 10–20 cm long, prostrate, striate. Ochrea 4–5 mm long, a few veined at tube; usually unlobed, lanceolate to elliptic, or sometimes a few lobed but never filiform. All leaves of same type and shape, 4–8 × 0.8–1.5 mm; veined at the lower side, only main vein in upper side; obtuse at apex. Petioles 0.3–2.0 mm long. Flowers 1–2 in the axil or 3–4 at the top. Tepal 2.0–2.5 × 1.5–1.8 mm; branched vein present, pink or whitish; tube part up to 1/3 of the lobes; lobes imbricate; the outer tepal base has a small protrusion. Stamens (5–)7–8, the filaments strongly dilated at base. Achenes dull, with the punctate surface. Styles 3, stigma short. Achenes bright brown, trigonous, threefaced 2.0–2.2 × 1.3–1.5 mm. Wintertime achenes present, somewhat like-pears and up to 2.5 mm long.

Vernacular name:― Polygonum is called “Madımak” in Turkish. The authors propose “Keseli madımak” as a vernacular name for P. buxiforme according to the guidelines of Menemen et al. (2016).

Note:― It is a noticeable species with its small protrusions on the tepal base (Table 2). It is only known from shore around the islands in the Marmara Sea of Turkey.

Examined specimens:― TURKEY. İstanbul: Adalar, Kınalıada, above part, near shore, 1 m, 3 November 2019, Keskin 7881 MUFE!); Adalar, Burgazada, shore, 0 m, 16 November 2019, Keskin 7883 (MUFE!).