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''Polygonum'' is a genus in the Polygonaceae family. Common names include knotweed, knotgrass, bistort, tearthumb, mile-a-minute, smartweed and several others. In the Middle English glossary of herbs ''Alphita'' ( 1400-1425), it was known as ars-smerte.〔Middle English Dictionary〕 There have been various opinions about how broadly the genus should be defined. For example, Buckwheat has sometimes been included in the genus. The genus primarily grows in northern temperate regions. They vary widely from prostrate herbaceous annual plants under high to erect herbaceous perennial plants growing up to tall to perennial woody vines growing up to high in trees. Several are aquatic, growing as floating plants in ponds. The smooth-edged leaves range from long, and vary in shape between species from narrow lanceolate to oval, broad triangular, heart-shaped, or arrowhead forms. The stems are often reddish or red-speckled. The small flowers are, pink, white, or greenish, forming in summer in dense clusters from the leaf joints or stem apices. The genus name is from the Greek ''poly'' = "many" and ''gonu'' = "knee" or "joint", in reference to the swollen jointed stem. ''Polygonum'' species are occasionally eaten by humans, and are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species - see list. Most species are considered weedy, especially in moist soils in the USA. == Distribution and uses == Several species can be eaten cooked,〔(Knotweed at NorthernBushCraft )〕 for example during famines. The variety ''Polygonum cognatum'', known locally as "madimak",〔See the article in Turkish: http://tr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mad%C4%B1mak_(bitki)〕〔See the preparation of one particular dish in Turkey using polygonum cognatum: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DzNCO94rWXE〕〔One more dish based on "madimak" polygonum cognatum: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3cJk6ChPkY〕 is regularly consumed in central parts of Turkey. In Chinese medicine, a ''Polygonum'' extract called Rèlínqīng Kēlì (热林清颗粒) is used to treat urinary tract infections.〔()〕 Chinese medicine also uses a Polygonum multiflorum extract called Fo-Ti. Care should be taken not to confuse Polygonum with Polygonatum - an entirely different genus of plants. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Polygonum」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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