Abstract

Persicaria capitata (Buchanan-Hamilton ex D. Don) H. Gross, a species of the Polygonaceae widespread in mainland China and neighboring countries, has recently naturalized at ca. 2,000 m altitude in central Taiwan. Morphologically, P. capitata resembles P. chinensis, both belonging to section Cephalophilon, but can be easily distinguished from P. chinensis by accrescent and fleshy perianth in fruit. This paper provides a description of the species, line drawings, and color photographs to aid in identification.

中文摘要

本文報導最近在台灣中部發現原產於中國大陸之新歸化種─頭花蓼 (Persicaria capitata (Buchanan-Hamilton ex D. Don) H. Gross)。本植物與同屬於頭狀蓼組 (section Cephalophilon) 的火炭母草 (Persicaria chinensis (L.) H. Gross) 外形相似，但火炭母草的 花被片花後長大成肉質並包住果實，而本種之花被片花後並不長大成肉質。本文對本植物進行形態觀察，並提供彩色照片及繪圖。

Keyword: Naturalized plant, Persicaria capitata, Polygonaceae, Taiwan, Taxonomy