{{Short description|Species of flowering plant}} {{Speciesbox |image = Persicaria punctata NRCS-1.jpg |status = LC |status_system = IUCN3.1 |status_ref = <ref>{{cite iucn |author=Bárrios, S. |author2=Copeland, A. |year=2021 |title=''Persicaria punctata'' |article-number=e.T138232704A192154729 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-3.RLTS.T138232704A192154729.en |access-date=30 November 2022}}</ref> |genus = Persicaria |species = punctata |authority = (Elliott) Small 1903 |synonyms_ref = <ref>[http://www.theplantlist.org/tpl1.1/record/kew-2572317 The Plant List, ''Persicaria punctata'' (Elliott) Small ]</ref> |synonyms = *''Polygonum punctatum'' <small>Elliott 1817</small> *''Discolenta punctata'' <small>(Elliott) Raf.</small> *''Polygonum acre'' <small>Lam.</small> *''Polygonum epilobioides'' <small>Wedd.</small> }}
'''''Persicaria punctata''''' (syn. ''Polygonum punctatum'') is a species of flowering plant in the knotweed family known by the common names '''dotted smartweed'''<ref>{{PLANTS|id=POPU5|taxon=Polygonum punctatum|accessdate=12 October 2015}}</ref> and '''dotted knotweed'''.
''Persicaria punctata'' is native to the Americas, where it can be found in moist and wet habitat types from Canada to Argentina including the West Indies.<ref>[http://bonap.net/MapGallery/State/Persicaria%20punctata.png Biota of North America Program 2014 state-level distribution map]</ref><ref>Soto Solís, D. A. 2014. Polygonaceae. En: Manual de Plantas de Costa Rica. Vol. VII. B.E. Hammel, M.H. Grayum, C. Herrera & N. Zamora (eds.). Monographs in Systematic Botany from the Missouri Botanical Garden 129: 358–383</ref><ref>Carnevali, G., J. L. Tapia-Muñoz, R. Duno de Stefano & I. M. Ramírez Morillo. 2010. Flora Ilustrada de la Peninsula Yucatán: Listado Florístico 1–326</ref> It is an extremely variable plant. It may be annual or perennial.
''Persicaria punctata'' grows from a rhizome and produces decumbent or erect stems which may just exceed one meter (40 in.) in length. The branching stems may root at nodes that come in contact with the substrate. The lance-shaped leaves are up to 15 centimeters long and have stipules widened into bristly brown ochrea that wrap around the stems. The inflorescence is a number of branching clusters of dotted greenish flowers with white edges, sometimes tinged pink.<ref>[http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=242100107 Flora of North America, ''Persicaria punctata'' (Elliott) Small, 1903. Dotted smartweed, renouée ponctuée ]</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?5936,6248,6287 Jepson Manual Treatment] *[http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/wetland/plants/water_smartweed.htm Illinois Wildflowers] *[http://calphotos.berkeley.edu/cgi/img_query?query_src=photos_index&where-taxon=Polygonum+punctatum Calphotos Photo gallery, University of California] *[http://www.tropicos.org/ImageFullView.aspx?imageid=81178 photo of herbarium specimen at Missouri Botanical Garden, collected in Costa Rica in 1983]
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punctata Category:Flora of Southern America Category:Flora of Northern America Category:Flora of the Caribbean Category:Plants described in 1817 Category:Flora without expected TNC conservation status
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