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Useful Tropical Plants

Persicaria capitata

(Buch.-Ham. ex D.Don) H.Gross

Polygonaceae

+ Synonyms

Cephalophilon capitatum (Buch.-Ham. Ex D.Don) Tzvelev

Polygonum capitatum Buch.-Ham. ex D.Don

Polygonum repens Meisn.

Polygonum robynsii De Wild.

Truellum capitatum (Buch.-Ham. ex D.Don) P.D.Sell

Common Name:

Persicaria capitata
Flowering stem
Photograph by: Fagg M.; Australian National Botanic Gardens
Creative Commons License
Persicaria capitata Persicaria capitata Persicaria capitata Persicaria capitata

General Information

Persicaria capitata is an evergreen perennial plant forming a clump of creeping, much-branched stems that become more or less woody at the base. The stems often form roots at leaf nodes, producing a dense mat of growth about 15cm high[
266
Title
Flora of China
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
Publisher
Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
Year
1994
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.
].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine - it has proved very effective in treating urinary tract infections and is widely used in China. It is also often cultivated as an ornamental, where cultivars such as 'Magic Carpet' can be used to form a ground cover.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
,
266
Title
Flora of China
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
Publisher
Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
Year
1994
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.

Range

E. Asia - southern China, India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Sikkim, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia

Habitat

Mountain slopes, shaded places in valleys; at elevations from 600 - 3,500 metres[
266
Title
Flora of China
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
Publisher
Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
Year
1994
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.
].

Properties

Weed PotentialYes
Medicinal Rating *  *  *  *
Other Uses Rating *  *
HabitEvergreen Perennial
Height0.15 m
PollinatorsInsects
Cultivation StatusOrnamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Persicaria capitata is not a very cold-hardy plant, being able to tolerate short periods with temperatures down to around -5 to -8°c when fully dormant[
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
Plants can often be found growing in very inhospitable places and poor soils such as cracks in the pavement, rocks etc[
K
Title
Plants for a Future
Author
Ken Fern
Description
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
].
The plant is often cultivated as an ornamental and sometimes escapes from cultivation. It has become naturalized in many parts of the world from warm temperate regions to the tropics. It is considered invasive in Hawaii[
305
Title
Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.hear.org/pier/scientificnames/index.html
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A very good website detailing weed species that have been introduced into the Pacific Islands.
].
The plant usually spreads freely in cultivation and can be invasive[
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].

Edible Uses

We have no specific information for this species, but the seed of most, if not all, members of the genus is edible both raw and cooked, and is potentially a good source of amino acids. Unfortunately the seed is also usually rather small and fiddly to utilize[
K
Title
Plants for a Future
Author
Ken Fern
Description
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
].

Medicinal

The juice of the plant is taken as a treatment for stomach disorders[
272
Title
Plants and People of Nepal
Publication
 
Author
Manandhar. N. P.
Publisher
Timber Press. Oregon.
Year
2002
ISBN
0-88192-527-6
Description
Excellent book, covering over 1,500 species of useful plants from Nepal together with information on the geography and peoples of Nepal. Good descriptions of the plants with terse notes on their uses.
].
A paste made from the plant is applied as a poultice on boils, wounds[
272
Title
Plants and People of Nepal
Publication
 
Author
Manandhar. N. P.
Publisher
Timber Press. Oregon.
Year
2002
ISBN
0-88192-527-6
Description
Excellent book, covering over 1,500 species of useful plants from Nepal together with information on the geography and peoples of Nepal. Good descriptions of the plants with terse notes on their uses.
]

Aqueous or ethanolic extracts of the plant possess antibacterial, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, hypothermia, diuretic, and anti-oxidative activities[
1042
Title
Antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects of extracts and fractions from Polygonum capitatum
Publication
Journal of Ethnopharmacology
Author
Shang-Gao Liao et al
Website
http://www.elsevier.com/locate/jethpharm
Publisher
Elsevier Ireland Ltd
Year
2011
ISBN
0378-8741/$
Description
A research paper, it contains some information on the medicinal properties of Persicaria capitata
]. The plant has been widely used, with considerable therapeutic efficacy, in the treatment of various urologic disorders including urinary calculus and urinary tract infections[
1042
Title
Antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects of extracts and fractions from Polygonum capitatum
Publication
Journal of Ethnopharmacology
Author
Shang-Gao Liao et al
Website
http://www.elsevier.com/locate/jethpharm
Publisher
Elsevier Ireland Ltd
Year
2011
ISBN
0378-8741/$
Description
A research paper, it contains some information on the medicinal properties of Persicaria capitata
].
A number of drugs based on this plant (e.g., Relinqing Granule and Milin Capsule) have been approved by the Chinese State Food and Drug Administration[
1042
Title
Antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects of extracts and fractions from Polygonum capitatum
Publication
Journal of Ethnopharmacology
Author
Shang-Gao Liao et al
Website
http://www.elsevier.com/locate/jethpharm
Publisher
Elsevier Ireland Ltd
Year
2011
ISBN
0378-8741/$
Description
A research paper, it contains some information on the medicinal properties of Persicaria capitata
].

Chemical investigations have shown the presence of triterpenoids, steroids, fatty acid esters, flavonoids, gallic acid and its analogues, as well as other phenolic compounds[
1042
Title
Antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects of extracts and fractions from Polygonum capitatum
Publication
Journal of Ethnopharmacology
Author
Shang-Gao Liao et al
Website
http://www.elsevier.com/locate/jethpharm
Publisher
Elsevier Ireland Ltd
Year
2011
ISBN
0378-8741/$
Description
A research paper, it contains some information on the medicinal properties of Persicaria capitata
].

Agroforestry Uses:

The plant makes a dense mat of growth and is an excellent ground cover[
K
Title
Plants for a Future
Author
Ken Fern
Description
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed -
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-03-28. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Persicaria+capitata>

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