Spermatophytes (seed plants): Angiosperms (flowering plants): Eudicots: Core Eudicots: Caryophyllales
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/14/23):
Polygonella polygama
FAMILY
Polygonaceae
Go to FSUS key
Dig deeper at SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria.
Common October-flower has suffruticose (semi-woody) stems that form masses of low "shrubs" 1-2 feet tall with straggly branches. Read more at Vascular Plants of North Carolina.
INCLUDED WITHIN
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Polygonella polygama
FAMILY
Polygonaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2015)
Polygonum polygamum var. polygamum
SYNONYMOUS WITH Flora of North America north of Mexico, vol. 5 (2005)
Polygonella polygama var. polygama
SYNONYMOUS WITH Floristic Synthesis of North America (Kartesz, 1999)
Polygonella polygama
INCLUDED WITHIN VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 063-06-002:
Polygonella polygama FAMILY Polygonaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Polygonella polygama
COMMON NAME:
Common October-flower
To see larger pictures, click or hover over the thumbnails.
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Bruce A. Sorrie bas_p_polygamum_croomii1
October Bladen County NC
Come cooler fall days it bursts into bloom, each plant a mass of flowers, per Wildflowers of the Sandhills Region (Sorrie, 2011).
)
Bruce A. Sorrie bas_p_polygamum_croomii2
October Bladen County NC
)
Bruce A. Sorrie bas_p_polygamum_croomii2b
October Bladen County NC
The 5 sepals are each about 1mm long and broad, 3 erect and 2 bent back, per Wildflowers of the Sandhills Region (Sorrie, 2011).
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/14/23):
Polygonella polygama
FAMILY
Polygonaceae
INCLUDED WITHIN
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Polygonella polygama
FAMILY
Polygonaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2015)
Polygonum polygamum var. polygamum
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Flora of North America north of Mexico, vol. 5
Polygonella polygama var. polygama
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Floristic Synthesis of North America (Kartesz, 1999)
Polygonella polygama
INCLUDED WITHIN
VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 063-06-002:
Polygonella polygama
FAMILY
Polygonaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Polygonella polygama
2594
Subshrub; Forb
Perennial
Dioecious
Habitat: Longleaf pine sandhills, other dry sandy habitats, per Weakley's Flora
Native to the Carolinas & Georgia
Common in Carolina Coastal Plain (rare in GA)
CLICK HERE to see a map, notes, and images from Weakley's Flora of the Southeastern US.
LEAVES:
Simple
Alternate
FLOWER:
Summer/Fall
Sepals: Creamy white
5 sepals (three inner, two outer)
Petals absent
8 stamens
Superior ovary
Unisexual
FRUIT:
Summer/Fall
Nutlet
TO LEARN MORE about this plant, look it up in a good book!
- Native Shrubs and Woody Vines of the Southeast (Foote & Jones, 1989) p058
- Wildflowers of the Eastern United States (Duncan & Duncan, 1999) p005
- Field Guide to the Wildflowers of Georgia (Chafin, 2016) p294
- Woody Plants of the Southeastern US: A Winter Guide (Lance, 2004) p244
- Wildflowers of the Sandhills Region (Sorrie, 2011) p108
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