Polygonum arifolium L. var. lentiforme Fernald & Grisc.
Polygonum arifolium L. var. pubescens (Keller) Fernald
Tracaulon arifolium (L.) Raf.
Polygonum arifolium L.
Halberd-leaved tearthumb, halberdleaf tearthumb
Halberd-leaved tearthumb is a rather strange-sounding name. “Halberd-leaved,” for its leaves’ resemblance to a rather nasty ancient weapon; “tearthumb,” for the backward-pointing barbs on its stems. The plant is native to eastern North America.
Plants: This vinelike plant has weak stems that are green, pink or red, with many tiny backward-pointing barbs used to support it as it grows over other plants. Plants may be 2–4′ (60–121 cm) long.
Leaves: Shaped like arrowheads, except that the backward-pointing barbs point outward (technically, “hastate”). Leaves are hairy, 4–4½″ (10–11 cm) long.
Flowers: Flowerheads are less than ⅜″ (1 cm) in diameter, white to light pink in color. Each rounded flowerhead consists of 5-20 individual flowers at the end of a long stem, which emerges from a leaf node.
Fruits: Rounded reddish-brown nutlets about ⅛″ (3.2 mm) around.
Habitats: Marshes, swamps, wet meadows.
Halberd-leaved tearthumb and its namesake, a halberd from 14th-16th century Sweden. 
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Similar species. |
Online References:
Persicaria arifolia (L.) Harolds.
Polygonum arifolium L. var. lentiforme Fernald & Grisc.
Polygonum arifolium L. var. pubescens (Keller) Fernald
Tracaulon arifolium (L.) Raf.
Polygonum arifolium L. var. lentiforme Fernald & Grisc.
Polygonum arifolium L. var. pubescens (Keller) Fernald
Tracaulon arifolium (L.) Raf.
6/9/2025 · Curtis Farm Preserve, Harpswell, Maine · ≈ 6 × 10″ (16 × 24 cm) 
8/30/2007 · By User:SB_Johnny 
| 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 | Polygonum | Greek poly, “many,” and gonu, “knee,” for the swollen jointed stems |
| Species | arifolium | With leaves resembling Arum leaves |
Polygonum arifolium description by Thomas H. Kent, not updated.
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