Spermatophytes (seed plants): Angiosperms (flowering plants): Eudicots: Core Eudicots: Caryophyllales
WEAKLEY'S FLORA (2/8/20):
Polygonella polygama
FAMILY
Polygonaceae
Dig deeper at SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria.
Read more about October-flower at Vascular Plants of North Carolina.
INCLUDED WITHIN
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Polygonella polygama
FAMILY
Polygonaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
The Biota of North America Program. BONAP (Kartesz, 2015)
Polygonum polygamum var. polygamum
INCLUDED WITHIN
VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 063-06-002:
Polygonella polygama
FAMILY
Polygonaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Polygonella polygama
COMMON NAME:
October-flower
To see larger pictures, click or hover over the thumbnails.
)
Bruce A. Sorrie bas_p_polygamum_croomii1
October Bladen County NC
Come cooler fall days it bursts into bloom, each plant a mass of flowers, per Wildflowers of the Sandhills Region.
)
Bruce A. Sorrie bas_p_polygamum_croomii2
October Bladen County NC
)
Bruce A. Sorrie bas_p_polygamum_croomii2b
October Bladen County NC
The 5 sepals are each about 1mm long and broad, 3 erect and 2 bent back, per Wildflowers of the Sandhills Region.
WEAKLEY'S FLORA (2/8/20):
Polygonella polygama
FAMILY
Polygonaceae
INCLUDED WITHIN
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Polygonella polygama
FAMILY
Polygonaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
The Biota of North America Program. BONAP (Kartesz, 2015)
Polygonum polygamum var. polygamum
INCLUDED WITHIN
VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 063-06-002:
Polygonella polygama
FAMILY
Polygonaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Polygonella polygama
2594
Subshrub; Forb
Perennial
Dioecious
Native to the Carolinas & Georgia
Documented growing wild in GA NC SC
Common in Coastal Plain of NC & SC, rare in GA (an endemic)
Look for it in sandhills, primarily in the outer Coastal Plain north of SC, per Weakley's Flora
Click here to see a more detailed map from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Herbarium,
or click here to see a map from SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria.
LEAVES:
Simple
Alternate
FLOWER:
Summer/Fall
Creamy white
Unisexual
5 sepals (three inner, two outer)
Petals absent
8 stamens
Superior ovary
FRUIT:
Fall
Nutlet
TO LEARN MORE about this plant, look it up in a good book!
- Native Shrubs and Woody Vines of the Southeast p058
- Wildflowers of the Eastern United States p005
- Woody Plants of the Southeastern US: A Winter Guide p244
- Wildflowers of the Sandhills Region p108