Flower ID: IMG_1898.JPG-08-24-2017 Flower name (scientific): Persicaria longiseta (Bruijn) Kitagawa PY: 1937. Pronunciation guide: (phonetic spelling) per-sih-KAR-ee-uh lon-jee-SET-ah Flower name (common): Oriental Lady's-thumb Family name (common): Buckwheat Family name (scientific): Polygonaceae Scientific name origin: Genus: From classical Latin persicum, for peach. Referring to the similarity of the leaves of the plant to the leaves of the peach tree. Specific epithet: From the Latin longus, for long, and seta, for bristle or hair. Common name origin: Oriental probably reflects from where the first described samples were collected, and Lady's-thumb probably alludes to the similarity with Persicaria maculosa, Lady's-thumb, although there are no darkish colored blotches on the leaves for P. longiseta. Flower description: Size: 0.1 to 0.2 inches (0.3 to 0.5 cm) Petal count: 5 Color: pink Other: flower arrangement, Spike Plant description: Size: 12 to 32 inches (30 to 81 cm) Stem hairy: Other: Leaf description: attachment is alternate, type is simple Size: Leaves up to 8 cm long and 3 cm wide. Color: Hairy: Other: Shape: leaf, ovate-lanceolate to linear-lanceolate (FNA) Origin (native, introduced, invasive): Introduced Status (common, uncommon, threatened, rare): Common Bloom time (typical): July to October Cycle (annual, biennial, perennial): Annual Habitat: Woods, forests, streambanks, disturbed areas, roadsides, waste sites, sun or semi-shade, moist. Fruit: Seed: Importance to wildlife: Similar species (if any): Persicaria maculosa (Lady's-thumb) has a resemblance. To distinguish these two species, note that the Persicaria longiseta ocreolae have ciliate margins with bristles typically 1 to 4 mm long and has ocrea hyaline to brownish, about 5 to 12 mm in length that are ciliate with bristles 4 to 12 mm long, and the adaxial surface of the leaf blade does not have a dark blotch, whereas the Persicaria maculosa ocreolae have margins ciliate with bristles typically 0.2 to 1.3 mm long and has ocrea light brown typically 4 to 10 mm in length, ciliate with hairs 1 to 3.5 mm in length, and the adaxial surface of the leaf blade typically has a dark blotch present. Ethnobotany: Latitude: Longitude: Altitude: Distribution: In Wisconsin: (Crawford, Dane, Dodge, Door, Dunn, Eau Claire, Grant, Iowa, Jackson, Jefferson, La Crosse, Lafayette, Marinette, Marquette, Pepin, Portage, Richland, Sauk, Taylor, Vilas, Walworth) Click here for distribution map In US: (AL, CT, DE, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, NC, NE, NJ, NY, OH, PA, SC, TN, TX, VA, VT, WI, WV) In Canada: (BC, NB, ON) References: Synonym(s): Basionym: Polygonum longisetum Bruijn in F.A.W.Miquel, Pl. Jungh.: 307 (1854). Homotypic Synonym(s): Heterotypic Synonym(s): Autonym:Persicaria longiseta var. longiseta (The other infraspecific is Persicaria longiseta var. rotundata (A. J. Li) B. Li which has not been recorded from North America.)