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Useful Temperate Plants

Persicaria filiformis

(Thunb.) Nakai

Polygonaceae


This species has gone through several name changes, as can be seen fron the list of synonyms. It has at times been listed as a variety of Persicaria virginiana, or even as Persicaria virginiana in the literature. The two species, whilst closely related, are considered as distinct in all modern reference works, and to have distinct distributions. Persicaria filiformis is native to much of Asia whilst Persicaria virginiana is native to N. America.
Some of the entries in this record were originally listed under Persicaria virginiana, but since they relate to the Asian species, they have been transferred here[
K
Title
Plants for a Future
Author
Ken Fern
Description
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
].

+ Synonyms

Antenoron filiforme (Thunb.) Roberty & Vautier

Persicaria filiformis albiflora (Hiyama) Yonek.

Persicaria virginiana albiflora (Hiyama) J.M.H.Shaw

Persicaria virginiana filiformis (Thunb.) J.M.H.Shaw

Polygonum apoense Elmer

Polygonum filiforme Thunb.

Polygonum virginianum filiforme (Thunb.) Nakai

Sunania filiformis (Thunb.) Raf.

Tovara apoensis (Elmer) H.L.Li

Tovara filiformis (Thunb.) Nakai

Tovara filiformis albiflora Makino ex Hiyama

Tovara ryukuyuensis Masam.

Tovara smaragdina Nakai ex F.Maek.

Tovara virginiana filiformis (Thunb.) Steward

Common Name:

No Image.

General Information

Persicaria filiformis is a herbaceous perennial plant with stout rhizomes; it produces a clump of erect stems around 50 - 80cm tall[
266
Title
Flora of China
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
Publisher
Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
Year
1994
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.
],
The plant is harvested from the wild for use as a medicine and possibly also as a food.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

58
Title
Flora of Japan. (English translation)
Publication
 
Author
Ohwi. G.
Publisher
Smithsonian Institution
Year
1965
ISBN
-
Description
The standard work. Brilliant, but not for the casual reader.
,
266
Title
Flora of China
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
Publisher
Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
Year
1994
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.

Range

E. Asia - Himalayas of Pakistan and India, southern China, Korea, Japan, Vietnam, Philippines

Habitat

Forests, thickets, valleys; at elevations from 100 - 2,500 metres[
266
Title
Flora of China
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
Publisher
Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
Year
1994
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.
]. Woods and thickets in lowland and hills all over Japan[
58
Title
Flora of Japan. (English translation)
Publication
 
Author
Ohwi. G.
Publisher
Smithsonian Institution
Year
1965
ISBN
-
Description
The standard work. Brilliant, but not for the casual reader.
].

Properties

Edibility Rating *  *
Medicinal Rating *  *
HabitPerennial
Height0.65 m
Cultivation StatusWild

Cultivation Details


Species in this genus generally succeed in an ordinary garden soil, whilst preferring a moisture retentive not too fertile soil in sun or part shade[
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
]. They generally rpays generous treatment[
1
Title
RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956
Publication
 
Author
F. Chittendon.
Publisher
Oxford University Press
Year
1951
ISBN
-
Description
Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaced in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).
].
Most plants in this genus seem to be immune to the predations of rabbits[
233
Title
Perennial Garden Plants
Publication
 
Author
Thomas. G. S.
Publisher
J. M. Dent & Sons, London.
Year
1990
ISBN
0 460 86048 8
Description
A concise guide to a wide range of perennials. Lots of cultivation guides, very little on plant uses.
].

Edible Uses

Leaves - raw or cooked[
105
Title
Tanaka's Cyclopedia of Edible Plants of the World.
Publication
 
Author
Tanaka. T. & Nakao S.
Publisher
Keigaku Publishing; Tokyo
Year
1976
ISBN
-
Description
The most comprehensive list of edible plants I've come across. Only the briefest entry for each species, though, and some of the entries are more than a little dubious. Not for the casual reader.
,
177
Title
Plants for Human Consumption.
Publication
 
Author
Kunkel. G.
Publisher
Koeltz Scientific Books
Year
1984
ISBN
3874292169
Description
An excellent book for the dedicated. A comprehensive listing of Latin names with a brief list of edible parts.
].

We have no specific information for this species, but the seed of most, if not all, members of the genus is edible both raw and cooked, and is potentially a good source of amino acids. Unfortunately the seed is also usually rather small and fiddly to utilize[
K
Title
Plants for a Future
Author
Ken Fern
Description
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
].

Medicinal

The plant is astringent, demulcent, diuretic, pectoral and tonic[
178
Title
Chinese Materia Medica.
Publication
 
Author
Stuart. Rev. G. A.
Publisher
Taipei. Southern Materials Centre
Year
1911
ISBN
-
Description
A translation of an ancient Chinese herbal. Fascinating.
,
240
Title
Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement).
Publication
 
Author
Chopra. R. N., Nayar. S. L. and Chopra. I. C.
Publisher
Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi.
Year
1986
ISBN
-
Description
Very terse details of medicinal uses of plants with a wide range of references and details of research into the plants chemistry. Not for the casual reader.
]. It is used in the treatment of haemorrhages and fluxes[
178
Title
Chinese Materia Medica.
Publication
 
Author
Stuart. Rev. G. A.
Publisher
Taipei. Southern Materials Centre
Year
1911
ISBN
-
Description
A translation of an ancient Chinese herbal. Fascinating.
].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - sow spring in a cold frame. Germination is usually free and easy.
Cite as: Temperate Plants Database, Ken Fern. temperate.theferns.info. 2024-03-29. <temperate.theferns.info/plant/Persicaria+filiformis>

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