Fallopia sp. (Polygonaceae) (Finland, Kauniainen, Kasavuori,
1999).
– Image: Harri
Harmaja (scanned from dried specimen).
– The
stem of this plant is indistinctly angular, rough (densely papillose), and winds
clockwise. Flowers 1-2 at each node of the stem (the exact structure of the
inflorescence remains to be clarified). The nut is 3 mm long, shining black,
smooth. A scanty, obviously indigenous stand of this Fallopia occurred in a terrace in
the basal part of a steep siliceous rock wall, accompanied e.g. by
Agrostis vinealis (represented by a somewhat slender morph occurring in southern Finland
in lower half-shady parts of rock outcrops, such as this).
This plant differs from F. dumetorum (L.) Holub: (i) the
pedicels are very short (much shorter than fruit), (ii) the perianth
segments (very low papillose) are unwinged, (iii) the perianth base
meets the pedicel abruptly (vs. being long-decurrent along the pedicel), and (iv)
the subtle sculpture of the nut surface is coarser as seen under the dissecting
microscope. It differs from Fallopia
sp. 1 (another unknown related morph
from rock outcrops): (i) the perianth segments are totally unwinged, (ii)
the nut is shorter (3 mm vs. 4 mm long), and (iii) the subtle sculpture
of the nut surface is coarser as seen under the dissecting microscope. The
leaves of the present morph may be generally smaller than those of the two
others.
Created August 29, 2004.