Polygonum mite, Schrank

Tutin, T. G., Heywood, V. H., Burges, N. A., Moore, D. M., Valentine, D. H., Walters, S. M. & Webb, D. A., 1964, Flora Europaea - Volume 1. Lycopodiaceae to Platanaceae, Cambridge University Press : 79

22. P. mite Schrank , Baier. FI. 1: 668 (1789).

A glabrous annual. Stems 10-60 cm, slender, erect. Ochreae with long, coarse cilia. Leaves 3-10 x 0-5-2 cm, usually less than 6 times as long as wide, elliptic-lanceolate, subsessile. Inflorescence lax, slender, interrupted, often branched. Perianth 2-5-4-5 mm, pink (rarely white). Nut 3-4-5 mm, black, glossy, lenticular or trigonous. 2« = 40. Most o f Europe except the north. Al Au Be Br Bu Co Cz G a Ge G r H b He H o Hu Hs It Ju Po Rm Rs (C, W, E) Sa Si?Tu.

Like 23 in general habit and leaf-shape, but easily distinguished by the glossy nut and the absence of glands on the perianth. It is usually distinguishable from 20 by the habit, by the dimensions of the leaves, and by the size of the nut, but a few plants are difficult to assign to either species and many of the records are ambiguous.