Polygonum aviculare

Πολύγωνο των μικρών πουλιών

Etymology of Polygonum aviculare: The name of the genus, "Polygonum" derives from the Ancient Greek compound word "πολύγονο" [polygono] meaning "polygonal", from "πολύ" [poly], meaning "many" and "γόνυ" [gony], meaning "knee" (forming an angle), because of the jointed stems forming many "knees". The epithet "aviculare" means "related to the small birds", referring to the seeds being eaten by small birds; it derives from the Latin "avicula" which means "small bird".

There are at least 4 Polygonum species/kinds in the wild Cypriot habitat.

Polygonum aviculare appears all around Cyprus except for the Karpasia peninsula and central-southern Cyprus up to an altitude of 1575 metres. It primarily grows in disturbed habitats. Its flowering period is between April and October.

How to identify Polygonum aviculare:

Of the 4 kinds encountered in Cyprus, aviculare is an annual plant, as Polygonum patulum. Their differences are that Polygonum aviculare has leafy inflorescences, its flowers are solitary, axillary, or in small axillary clusters, and its bracts are leaf-like and longer than the flowers. On the contrary, patulum's inflorescences are not leafy, they are spiciform, and at least their upper bracts are inconspicuous and shorter than the flowers.