Description
Other Taxonomic Groupings - Five North American varieties were recognized by Fernald (1950)- Polygonum lapathifolium var. salicifolium (considered native); P. l. var. lapathifolium (=var. nodosum) considered introduced and native; P. l. var. ovatum considered native; P. l.var. prostratum considered introduced; and P. scabrum (treated as a separate species) was also considered introduced.
Potentially Misidentified Species- P. pennsylvanicum is native; P. persicaria is introduced. Polygonum lapathifolium is part of a difficult species complex, consisting of many closely related forms, with very low levels of allozyme variation. Polygonum pennsylvanicum and P. persicaria are morphologically and genetically distinct, but very closely related. For the varieties tested (lapathifolium, salicifolium and scabrum); 3 of 5 North American varieties, allozyme variation did not correspond to named varieties, or to morphological, or life-history variation. North American populations of the P. lapathifolium complex had a distinct genetic marker from Eurasian forms (Consaul et al. 1991), suggesting that these forms were native. However, the putative introduced variety prostratum was not tested.
Taxonomy
| Kingdom | Phylum | Class | Order | Family | Genus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plantae | Magnoliophyta | Magnoliopsida | Polygonales | Polygonaceae | Polygonum |
Synonyms
Invasion History
Chesapeake Bay Status
| First Record | Population | Range | Introduction | Residency | Source Region | Native Region | Vectors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1753 | Established | Stable | Cryptogenic | Regular Resident | Europe | Eurasia | Shipping(Dry Ballast), Agriculture(Agricultural Weed) |
History of Spread
Polygonum lapathifolium (Dock-Leaved Smartweed) is widespread in Eurasia from Norway and Siberia to the Mediterranean and Malaysia (Simmonds 1946). Its status in North America is uncertain. It has been considered native to both North America and Europe (Brown and Brown 1984; Consaul et al. 1991; Harvill et al. 1992), consisting of native and introduced varieties (Robinson and Fernald 1908; Fernald 1950; Gleason 1963; Gleason and Cronquist 1991), or wholly introduced (Mills et al. 1997; Reed 1964). Gray (1848) reported 'no undoubted American specimens' of P. lapathifolium. Gleason and Cronquist (1991) give the present range as 'nearly throughout temperate North America.' Genetic studies suggest that at least some North American varieties are genetically distinct from European ones, casting some doubt on introduced status in North America (Consaul et al. 1991). Polygonum lapathifolium is now found throughout the continental Unites States (Natural Resources Conservation Service 1998) and in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and South America (Simmonds 1946).
Polygonum lapathifolium is included on a list of ~ 500 species represented by herbarium specimens collected before 1753 (Brown et al. 1987), but is not in early 19th century floras for Washington D.C. and Baltimore (Aikin 1837; Brereton 1830). It was recorded as P. incarnatum by Ward for Washington DC (1881), and collected from Chestertown MD in 1905 (Tatnall 1946). The 130+ yr gap is puzzling: it could represent an extinction of an early introduction, or it could indicate misidentification of a difficult species. It was absent from Shreve et al's (1910) MD survey, but Hitchcock and Standley (1919) found it 'common especially on Potomac flats' near Washington D.C. Strong and Kelloff (1994) found it frequent in the upper intertidal of Brent Marsh, Potomac River (Stafford County VA). Sipple (1978) reported it from the Patuxent and Chester Rivers. Harvill et al (1992) report it from 7 of ~30 VA tidewater counties, and Brown and Brown (1984) describe it as 'frequent' on the Coastal Plain.
History References - Aikin 1837; Brereton 1830; Brown and Brown 1984; Brown et al. 1987; Consaul et al. 1991; Fernald 1950; Gleason 1963; Gleason and Cronquist 1991; Gray 1848; Harvill et al. 1992; Hitchcock and Standley 1919; Mills et al. 1997; Robinson and Fernald 1908; Shreve et al. 1910; Simmonds 1946; Sipple 1978; Strong and Kelloff 1994; Tatnall 1946; Ward 1881
Invasion Comments
Likely Vector into Chesapeake Bay, North America- Polygonum lapathifolium was found on dry ballast in New York and Boston (Brown 1879; Perkins 1883), and on ore piles on Baltimore Harbor (Reed 1964).
Ecology
Environmental Tolerances
| For Survival | For Reproduction | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum | Maximum | Minimum | Maximum | |
| Temperature (ºC) | ||||
| Salinity (‰) | 0.0 | 0.0 | ||
| Oxygen | ||||
| pH | 6.6000000000 | 7.2000000000 | ||
| Salinity Range | fresh-oligo |
Age and Growth
| Male | Female | |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Adult Size (mm) | 500.0 | 500.0 |
| Typical Adult Size (mm) | 1000.0 | 1000.0 |
| Maximum Adult Size (mm) | 1500.0 | 1500.0 |
| Maximum Longevity (yrs) | ||
| Typical Longevity (yrs | 0.5 | 0.5 |
Reproduction
| Start | Peak | End | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reproductive Season | |||
| Typical Number of Young Per Reproductive Event |
|||
| Sexuality Mode(s) | |||
| Mode(s) of Asexual Reproduction |
|||
| Fertilization Type(s) | |||
| More than One Reproduction Event per Year |
|||
| Reproductive Startegy | |||
| Egg/Seed Form |
Impacts
Economic Impacts in Chesapeake Bay
Polygonum lapathifolium (Dock-Leaved Smartweed) probably has little or no impact in Chesapeake Bay. It is occasionally a troublesome weed in damp pastures and fields (Muenscher 1982). Like other Polygonum spp., this species may be an important food for waterfowl (Perry 1981).
References- Muenscher 1982; Perry 1981
Economic Impacts Outside of Chesapeake Bay
Polygonum lapathifolium (Dock-Leaved Smartweed) is occasionally a troublesome weed in damp pastures and fields (Muenscher 1982; Simmonds 1946), but its seeds may be an important food for waterfowl (Perry 1981).
References- Muenscher 1982; Perry 1981; Simmonds 1946
Ecological Impacts on Chesapeake Native Species
Impacts of Polygonum lapathifolium (Dock-Leaved Smartweed) on native biota in Chesapeake Bay wetlands have not been reported.
Competition- Competition is possible with other Polygonum spp., but is not documented. In general, P. lapathifolium appears to be less abundant or widespread than Polygonum punctatum (Dotted Smartweed), P. hydropiperoides (Swamp Smartweed), P. pensylvanicum (Pinkweed), and others (Brown and Brown 1984). It appears to be favored by disturbance and reduced competition. It is a less serious agricultural weed than P. persicaria (Ladies-Thumb) (Simmonds 1946).
FoodPrey - Polygonum spp. seeds are an important waterfowl food (Perry 1981). Seeds of P. lapathifolium are eaten by birds including Anas strepera (Gadwall) and Flickers (Colaptes auratus) (Simmonds 1946).
References - Brown and Brown 1984; Simmonds 1946; Perry 1981.
Ecological Impacts on Other Chesapeake Non-Native Species
Polygonum lapathifolium (Dock-Leaved Smartweed) is a possibly competitor with P. hydropiper (Water-Pepper), P. persicaria (Ladies-Thumb) and 'other weeds' (Simmonds 1946), but this is not documented.
References- Simmonds 1946
References
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Brereton, J. A. (1830) Prodromus of the Flora Columbiana, , Washington, D.C.. Pp.
Brown, Addison (1879) Ballast plants in New York City and its vicinity, Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club 6: 353-360
Brown, Melvin L.; Brown, Russell G. (1984) Herbaceous Plants of Maryland, , College Park. Pp.
Brown, Melvin L.; Reveal, J. L; Broome, C. R.; Frick, George F. (1987) Comments on the vegetation of colonial Maryland, Huntia 7: 247-283
Consaul, Laurie L.; Warwick, Suzanne I.; McNeill, John (1991) Allozyme variation in the Polygonum lapathifolium complex, Canadian Journal of Botany 69: 2261-2270
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Gleason, Henry A. (1963) The new Britton and Brown illustrated flora of the northeastern United States and adjacent Canada, In: (Eds.) . , New York. Pp.
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1997-2024 USDA PLANTS Database.. Onine databse
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Reed, Clyde F. (1964) A flora of the chrome and manganese ore piles at Canton, in the port of Baltimore, Maryland and at Newport News, Virginia, with descriptions of genera and species new to the flora of the eastern United States., Phytologia 10: 321-406
Resource Management Inc. (1993) National list of plant species that occur in wetlands., , Minneapolis.. Pp.
Robinson, Benjamin Lincoln; Fernald, Merrit L. (1908) Gray's New Manual of Botany., , New York. Pp.
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Simmonds, N. W. (1946) Polygonum lapathifolium L. (P. tomentosum of many continental authors), Journal of Ecology 33: 132-139
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Strong, Mark T.; Kelloff, Carol L. (1994) Intertidal vascular plants of Brent Marsh, Potomac River, Stafford County, Virginia, Castanea 59: 354-366
Tatnall, Robert R. (1946) Flora of Delaware and the Eastern Shore, , Wilmington. Pp.
Ward, L. F. (1881) Guide to the flora of Washington and Vicinity, United States National Museum Bulletin 22: 1-264