Persicaria - what species

[Ghansar]

This flower was photographed at Wied il-Ghasri, Gozo, on 05.12.05.

It looks to me like it is a "persicaria" species, but what species?

According to the book Wildlife of the Maltese Islands, "Persicaria salicifolia" flowers in summer. This plant was flowering in December!

Can anyone identify the species for me?

The plant was growing in a pool of fresh water at the bottom of the valley. There was a small patch of these plants and they were all flowering simultaneously.

[wolf]

Hi ghansar I am pretty sure it is sanicifolia ...definitely not senegalensis ..I dont take supposed flowering periods so strictly ...like cistus creticus suppost flowers in spring ( and it does to be fair ! ) but there are always flowers on them when I see them in winter ...just two weks ago in fact - hardly spring mhux hekk ?
wolf

[MWP admin]

I have experienced similar situations like this. Sometiems there are micro climatic variations which fools the plant and thinks it is another season. A warm early Autumn can induce Spring flowers to germinate early, and this Autumn was not cruel at all if I remember well. Also a non rainy end of summer/ beg of Autumn could lengthen the flowering period of summer flowers.

So I would, like wolf said, not give much importance about the flowering seasons as exceptions happens in a non-perfect nature.

After examining the photo and some literature, now I can confirm that morphologically, the plant is Persicaria species, but I have not yet arrived to the species level, though when I looked photos of sanicifolia, I think that I agree with you. Many other Persicaria species reported in Malta have few-flowerd inflorescences.

I add more info if I find some more time. Sorry for the generic reply in my email ghansar but I was in a big hurry at that time.

[wolf]

it cud also be Persicaria lapathifolia from image comparison on the net - sanicifolia is not that deep a pink more whiye/pink sort of

wolf

[IL-PINE]

I agree with Wolf that the species is Polygonum lapathifolium. The leaves of salicifolium I believe are much narrower than that of the photograph.

[jackpot]

difficult (for me) to say more as Persicaria (=Polygonum)

[Ghansar]

I would like to thank everyone who replied to my post.

It looks like the flower I posted was a bit difficult to identify.

I admit I am still undecided about the exact identification of the plant. Yes it could be Polygonum lapathifolium but I am not excluding that it could also be Persicaria salicifolia (Polygonum salicifolium).

I will try to find some time next summer to go to Bahrija where Persicaria salicifolia is said to be common. I would take some photos of the plants and flowers and compare them with the photos I have of the Wied il-Ghasri specimens. I also hope to go again to Wied il-Ghasri some time and take some more pictures and notes of the plants.

Thanks

[MWP admin]

PS: it seems critical that you should also take photos of the leaves.
Thanks for letting us know

[Sdravko]

could be Persicaria glabra. Ask Edwin Lanfranco, since this group is quite tricky.

[IL-PINE]

This should be Persicaria salicifolium. From Bahrija.

[sandra]

I'm attaching another photo of Persicaria salicifolia taken at Bahrija in June 2004.

[Sdravko]

yep, both pictures are definitely P. salicifolia. There is still some confusion about P. glabra in Malta.