Polygonum articulatum L.
Polygonella articulata (L.) Meisn.
Sand jointweed, coastal jointweed
These unusual-looking plants are North American natives.
Plants: 4–15″ (10–38 cm) in height, with very thin, wiry, jointed stems that branch often. If you don’t look closely you might mistake them for small tufts of thin grass. At closer range, though, they are quite striking, since a red papery sheath at each joint creates an alternating pattern of red and green.
Leaves: Leaves are very small and narrow, and inrolled.
Flowers: White or pink, sometimes red, on stalks that are also jointed near the base, in inflorescences usually ¾–1¼″ (2–3.3 cm) long. Flowers are about ⅛″ (3.2 mm) in size, nodding like tiny bells, with five petals and pink stalks. They bloom from July to November.
Fruits: The tepals brown and become loose wrappers for a single seed. Seeds are 3-sided, narrowly pyramidal, smooth and shiny cinnamon to reddish brown.
Habitats: Dry, sandy, acidic soil, pine barrens.
Online References:
References:
Clemants, Steven; Gracie, Carol, Wildflowers in the Field and Forest, Oxford University Press, 2006, p. 276
Delopyrum articulatum (L.) Small
Polygonum articulatum L.
Polygonum articulatum L.
9/11/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 6 × 9″ (14 × 22 cm) 
9/11/2013 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 6 × 6″ (14 × 15 cm) 
9/4/2012 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 6 × 4″ (15 × 10 cm) 
9/18/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 3 × 3½″ (7.9 × 9.3 cm) 
9/11/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 6 × 9″ (14 × 22 cm) 
9/11/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 3½ × 5″ (9 × 12 cm) 
9/4/2012 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 5 × 3½″ (13 × 9.2 cm) 
9/18/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 3 × 4″ (7.9 × 10 cm) 
1/5/2026 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton, Groton, Massachusetts 
9/4/2012 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 5 × 3½″ (13 × 9.2 cm) 
~1 x 0.75" · 1/5/2026 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton, Groton, Massachusetts 
~2 x 2" · 1/5/2026 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton, Groton, Massachusetts 
9/11/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 5 × 8″ (13 × 19 cm) 
9/4/2012 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 7 × 4½″ (16 × 11 cm) 
9/18/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 3½ × 5″ (9.2 × 13 cm) 
~2 x 2" · 1/5/2026 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton, Groton, Massachusetts 
9/11/2013 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 4 × 3½″ (10 × 9.1 cm) 
9/11/2013 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 6 × 6″ (14 × 14 cm) 
9/4/2012 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 7 × 4½″ (17 × 11 cm) 
| Kingdom | Plantae | Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae (from Stearn's Botanical Latin) |
| Subkingdom | Tracheobionta | Vascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients |
| Division | Magnoliophyta | Flowering plants, also known as angiosperms |
| Class | Magnoliopsida | Dicotyledons—plants with two initial seed leaves |
| Subclass | Caryophyllidae | Cacti, many other succulents, carnivorous plants, and leadworts |
| Order | Caryophyllales | Includes cacti, carnations, amaranths, ice plants, and many carnivorous plants |
| Family | Polygonaceae | Knotweed or smartweed family |
| Genus | Polygonella | A diminutive form of Polygonum; from poly, “many,” and gonu, “knee,” referring to the multiple joints in the stem |
| Species | articulata | “Jointed” |
Polygonella articulata description by Thomas H. Kent, not updated.
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