Panzhou Polygonum capitatum

Panzhou Polygonum capitatum

　　Panzhou Polygonum capitatum

　　Polygonum capitatum is a perennial herbaceous plant of the genus Polygonum in the family Polygonaceae. Its stems are prostrate, tufted, woody at the base, rooting at the nodes, with internodes shorter than the leaves. It is much branched, sparsely glandular-haired or nearly hairless. Annual branches are nearly erect, longitudinally ridged, and sparsely glandular-haired.

　　The leaves are ovate or elliptic, 1.5–3 cm long and 1–2.5 cm wide, with acute tips, cuneate bases, entire margins, glandular hairs along the edges, and sparsely glandular hairs on both surfaces. Sometimes they have dark brown crescent-shaped spots on the upper surface. The petiole is 2–3 mm long, sometimes with auricles at the base. The ochrea is tubular, membranous, 5–8 mm long, loose, glandular-haired, truncate at the tip, and with marginal hairs.

　　The inflorescence is capitate, 6–10 mm in diameter, solitary or paired, and terminal. The peduncle is glandular-haired. The bracts are ovate-lanceolate and membranous. The pedicels are very short. The perianth is deeply 5-parted, pale red, with elliptic segments 2–3 mm long. There are 8 stamens, shorter than the perianth. The styles are 3, partially fused in the lower and middle parts, nearly as long as the perianth. The stigmas are capitate.

　　The achene is oblong-ovoid, triangular in cross-section, 1.5–2 mm long, dark brown, densely dotted, slightly glossy, and enclosed within the persistent perianth. Flowering occurs from June to September, and fruiting from August to October.

　　The whole herb is used medicinally to treat urinary tract infections and pyelonephritis.

　　The currently administered administrative regions of 15 townships (towns, subdistricts) including Xinmin Town, Xiangshui Town, Dashan Town, Zhuhai Town, Yingwu Town, Shuangfeng Town, Yangchang Township, Yuni Township, Jichangping Town, Wumeng Town, Baiguo Town, Panguan Town, Shiqiao Town, Shengjing Subdistrict Office, and Lianghe Subdistrict Office in Pan County, Guizhou Province.