Glabrous or slightly mealy, twining annual or short-lived perennial with stems to c. 1 m long. Leaves ovate, triangular or more or less deltoid, acuminate, with bases cordate to sagittate, 1.5–7 cm long, 1–4 cm wide; petiole c. 1–4 cm long. Inflorescence spike-like, sometimes branched, to c. 20 cm long, or reduced to axillary clusters. Perianth segments 2–6 mm long, free above c. midway, green or with narrow white margins, often minutely papillate. Nut with shallowly concave to flat faces, 3.5–4.5 mm long, dull black, finely granular. Flowers Nov.–Mar.
MuM, GleP, VVP, RobP, GipP, WaP, Gold, EGL, Strz. Also WA, SA, Qld, NSW, ACT, Tas. Native to Europe, western Asia. A rather uncommon weed of pastures, crops and domestic gardens in cooler districts in the south (e.g. Portland, Streatham, Colac, Castlemaine, Pakenham, Warragul, Maffra areas).
Source:
Walsh, N.G. (1996). Polygonaceae. In: Walsh, N.G.; Entwisle, T.J., Flora of Victoria Vol. 3, Dicotyledons Winteraceae to Myrtaceae, pp. 272–295. Inkata Press, Melbourne.
