Illinois Natural History Survey - University of Illinois

Persicaria maculosa
Spotted lady's thumb
Taxonomy

Synonyms: Persicaria vulgaris, Polygonum persicaria

Subspecific taxa:

Classification:

Other taxonomic & nomenclature sources: USDA Plants;  ITIS;  The Plant List;  IPNI

Images

   
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Species Distribution
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More about map & occurrence records

County Map Legend
Absent:
Not known from county
Medium confidence:
Medium or unknown confidence;
often old records or unverifiable observations
Medium-high confidence:
Often observations by expert botanists
High confidence:
Often vouchered herbarium records
Planted / introduced:
Native species introduced outside historic range,
or only in planted locations within county (e.g., restorations)
Historic / extirpated:
Only historic records for the species; likely extirpated
(Note that this category is not yet functional)

North American distribution maps for this species: FLNA;  USDA Plants;  BONAP;  BISON

Collections, Observations & Flowering by Month [?]

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M
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A
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M
0
J
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J
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A
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O
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N
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Collections & Observations by Decade [?]

Species Status

Status/Listing: No Information

Notes:

Origin: Europe

Species Description

General: Dicot-herb, annual

Roots:

Shoots: simple leaf type; entire leaf margin; Pinnate leaf venation; linear, oblong leaf shape

Inflorescence: spike

Flowers: perfect; incomplete, regular; red, others; hypogynous ovary position

Fruit: achene

Physiology: autotrophic; C3 C02 fixation

Reproduction: sexual

Ecology & Natural History

Habitat: Species is distributed in wastes, cultivated ground, railroads, in wet meadows, urban wastes; muddy ground of ditches.

ILPIN Notes: Achenes are frequently eaten by wildfowl and upland gamebirds. Species is good for smartweed honey. Leaves are intensely burning to the taste; juice causes smarting of eyes and nostrils; possible cause of dermatitis and of hayfever; possible use of starchy fruits. Stephens, H.A. 1980. Poisonous Plants of the Central United States. Regent Press of Kansas. Lawrence, KA. 165 pp. This is a very common weed. Species is nearly glabrous with pink to dull-rose-purple and green-white flowers; upper leaf surfaces are marked with purple or brown patch near middle.

Functional Relationships:

  • Pollinators:
  • Dispersal:
  • Mycorrhizae: no
  • N2 fixation:

Human Relationships:

  • Edibility [?] :
  • Showy Flowers:

Wildlife and Livestock Information:

  • Food Value:
  • Cover Value:

Coefficient of Conservatism (C-value) [?] :

  • Entire State:
  • Chicago Area:

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