Polygonella gracilis Meisn.

Tall Jointweed; Wireweed

Herb

Annual

Vascular

Tall Jointweed is a native annual herb in the Buckwheat family (Polygonaceae). It is native to the southern third of Alabama. Tall Jointweed occurs in xeric, sandy Longleaf pine forests, in sand hills, in scrub oak woods, and on xeric sandy roadsides. It is an annual with a tap root. Stems are erect, sparsely branched, glabrous, and green in color. Stems are wiry and from 3-6 feet in height. Leaves are alternate, filiform or spathulate in outline, glabrous and entire. The ocrea (sheathing stipule) is brown in color and lacks cilia. The leaves are mostly absent at flowering time. Tall Jointweed is dioecious (having separate male and female plants). The inflorescence is a terminal panicle of racemes. Staminate flowers have 5 inner and 2 outer tepals that are white in color with entire margins. Pistillate flowers have 5 inner and 2 outer tepals that are white to pink in color with entire or finely lacerate margins. The fruit is a reddish-brown achene. Tall Jointweed is listed as an S1 species in Alabama (typically 5 or fewer occurrences, very few remaining individuals, acres, or miles of stream, or some factor of its biology making it especially vulnerable in the state), and globally as a G4G5 species (G4 - Imperiled globally because of rarity (6 - 20 occurrences, or few remaining acres, or miles of stream) or very vulnerable to extinction throughout its range because of other factors. G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery). Until recently this species was known by the name Polygonella gracilis Meisner.--A. Diamond

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Native S1 (State Rank) G4G5 (Global Rank)

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