Persicaria orientalis (PROSEA)

Plant Resources of South-East Asia Introduction

List of species

Persicaria orientalis (L.) Spach

Family: Polygonaceae

Synonyms

• Polygonum orientale L.

Vernacular names

• Prince's feather (En)
• Persicaire de Levant (Fr)
• Thailand: phakuang
• Vietnam: nghể bà, nghể dông.

Distribution

South, South-East and East Asia, Africa, North America, Australia.

Uses

Young shoots are eaten in Indo-China.

Observations

• Erect or ascending annual herb, 0.5-1 m tall.
• Leaf-blade ovate-oblong, 5-20 cm × 3-12 cm, hairy on both sides; petiole 2-6 cm long.

In humid places, dried-up pools and ditches, often gregarious, up to 850 m altitude.

Selected sources

6, 7, 20.