Curlytop Knotweed

Persicaria lapathifolia is a member of the Polygonaceae family and is widely distributed across temperate and tropical regions. It is commonly referred to as Curlytop Knotweed and is known by other names such as pale smartweed and willow weed. The plant exhibits a high degree of morphological variation, with many forms sometimes classified as varieties. Environmental conditions strongly influence its appearance. It is considered a weed in parts of Britain and Europe. The species was published in 1800 and is found in various locations including Denmark, Finland, Germany, and several national parks in South Africa. A detailed treatment of the species is available in Wisskirchen's work from 1995.