Polygonum convolvulus (Black bindweed)

Polygonum convolvulus L.

Black bindweed, wild buckwheat, false buckwheat

Wild buckwheat is a European native, now established throughout North America.

Plants: A vine that snakes along the ground or clambers over other plants or anything else it can latch onto, winding itself in a clockwise direction around supports. Plants are up to 3′ (1 m) long. At points where leaves attach there is an ocrea, or sheath.

Leaves: Alternate and roughly triangular to heart-shaped, with smooth edges. The lower corners of each triangle are pointed inward toward the leaf petiole (stem). Leaves are ½–2 ⨉ ¼–1″ (1.5–6 cm ⨉ 7–30 mm) wide.

Flowers: ⅛″ (4 mm) each, in long thin clusters, sort of weird-looking, greenish-white to greenish-pink

Fruits: Small triangular achenes, with one seed in each achene.

Habitats: Warm, sunny, well-drained sandy or limestone soil types, typically on disturbed or cultivated land.

Similar species.

Online References:

Ontario Wildflowers

Wikipedia

CalPhotos at the University of California, Berkeley

SEINet—the Southwest Environmental Information Network

References:

Newcomb, Lawrence, Morrison, Gordon (Illus.), Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide, Little, Brown and Company, 1977, p. 322

Peterson, Roger Tory, McKenny, Margaret, Peterson Field Guides: Wildflowers—Northeastern and North Central North America, Houghton Mifflin, 1968, p. 380

9/18/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 7 × 4½″ (17 × 11 cm) ID is uncertain

9/18/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 9 × 6″ (22 × 14 cm) ID is uncertain

9/11/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 15 × 10″ (39 × 26 cm)

Note the climbing False Buckwheat (Polygonum scandens) overtaking the loosestrife. · 7/28/2009 · Near Nashua River Boat Ramp, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 2½ × 3½′ (75 × 112 cm)

9/3/2009 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Ayer, Massachusetts · ≈ 6 × 9″ (14 × 22 cm) ID is uncertain

9/18/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 7 × 5″ (17 × 13 cm) ID is uncertain

9/3/2009 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Ayer, Massachusetts · ≈ 5 × 8″ (13 × 19 cm) ID is uncertain

9/3/2009 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Ayer, Massachusetts · ≈ 8 × 5″ (19 × 12 cm) ID is uncertain

9/3/2009 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Ayer, Massachusetts · ≈ 6 × 9″ (14 × 22 cm) ID is uncertain

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	convolvulus	From Latin convolvere, “to twine around”

About plant names...

Range:

About this map...

Polygonum convolvulus description by Thomas H. Kent, not updated.