Polygonum albanicum
Encyclopedia
Polygonum albanicum is a flowering herbaceous plant
of the knotweed family
. It is a trans-regional endemic species
primarily found in Albania
and recently in its neighboring countries.
in 1918. It was collected as well by Alston & Sandwith in southern Albania. Since that time the species had rarely been collected and was included in Flora Europaea (Webb & Chatter, 1964: 78) only as a note under P. arenarium subsp. Putchellum (Loisel.). After World War II, in 1954 it was collected by W. Ludwig in central Yugoslavia
(BP. material, ex. Marburg), still on serpentine soil
though outside Albania, whereas in August 1960, Polygonum albanicum was found on Vourinos
mountain in northern Greece, where had not been previously ever reported from.
flowering herb that reaches 40–50 cm tall, with a wiry stem and stem branches that grow out from the base of the plant in an open form, or laying on ground soil. It has thin and slim pointed leaves, oblong, egg-shaped and without nervatures.
Flowers occur alone or in couples, located on floppy cobs in a branched inflorescence
. The perianth
has white petals and sepals arranged in a rose-like shape.
Polygonum albanicum blooms from June to October.
Herbaceous plant
A herbaceous plant is a plant that has leaves and stems that die down at the end of the growing season to the soil level. They have no persistent woody stem above ground...
of the knotweed family
Polygonaceae
Polygonaceae is a family of flowering plants known informally as the "knotweed family" or "smartweed family"— "buckwheat family" in the United States. The name is based on the genus Polygonum and was first used by Antoine Laurent de Jussieu in 1789 in his book, Genera Plantarum. The name refers...
. It is a trans-regional endemic species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
primarily found in Albania
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
and recently in its neighboring countries.
History and distribution
It was discovered and described from material collected on serpentine by the Hungarian florist and plant systematics Sándor Jávorka (1883–1961) in northern AlbaniaAlbania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
in 1918. It was collected as well by Alston & Sandwith in southern Albania. Since that time the species had rarely been collected and was included in Flora Europaea (Webb & Chatter, 1964: 78) only as a note under P. arenarium subsp. Putchellum (Loisel.). After World War II, in 1954 it was collected by W. Ludwig in central Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
(BP. material, ex. Marburg), still on serpentine soil
Serpentine soil
A serpentine soil is derived from ultramafic rocks, in particular serpentinite, a rock formed by the hydration and metamorphic transformation of ultramafic rock from the Earth's mantle....
though outside Albania, whereas in August 1960, Polygonum albanicum was found on Vourinos
Vourinos
Vourinos is a mountain range covering the eastern Grevena and southern Kozani prefectures in Greece. Its peaks stand over .The GR-20 is to the north and the Aliakmon river to the southeast. Its length is approximately from northwest to southeast and its width is approximately from southwest...
mountain in northern Greece, where had not been previously ever reported from.
Description
Polygonum albanicum is an annualAnnual plant
An annual plant is a plant that usually germinates, flowers, and dies in a year or season. True annuals will only live longer than a year if they are prevented from setting seed...
flowering herb that reaches 40–50 cm tall, with a wiry stem and stem branches that grow out from the base of the plant in an open form, or laying on ground soil. It has thin and slim pointed leaves, oblong, egg-shaped and without nervatures.
Flowers occur alone or in couples, located on floppy cobs in a branched inflorescence
Inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
. The perianth
Perianth
The term perianth has two similar but separate meanings in botany:* In flowering plants, the perianth are the outer, sterile whorls of a flower...
has white petals and sepals arranged in a rose-like shape.
Polygonum albanicum blooms from June to October.