# low smartweed

*Persicaria longiseta*

The species name 'longiseta' refers to the long bristles found on the sheaths (ocreae) surrounding the stem joints.

- **Taxonomy:** Plantae › Tracheophyta › Magnoliopsida › Caryophyllales › Polygonaceae › Persicaria
- **IUCN Red List status:** Least Concern
- **Population trend:** increasing
- **Biome:** urban
- **Habitat:** Disturbed areas, gardens, roadsides, and damp disturbed soils.
- **Diet:** Photosynthetic (Sunlight, water, carbon dioxide).
- **Range:** East Asia, North America, Europe
- **Size:** 10 to 60 cm in height
- **Lifespan:** 1 year (Annual)
- **Active:** diurnal
- **Threats:** Habitat management, herbicides, and competition with other aggressive pioneer species.
- **Safe to approach?:** Low smartweed is entirely harmless to humans. You can safely observe or touch the plant. It does not possess thorns, stinging hairs, or significant allergens.

## About

Persicaria longiseta is a species of flowering plant in the knotweed family known by the common names Oriental lady's thumb , bristly lady's thumb , Asiatic smartweed , long-bristled smartweed , Asiatic waterpepper , bristled knotweed , bunchy knotweed , and tufted knotweed . It is native to Asia (China, India, Russia, Japan, Malaysia, etc.), and it is present in North America and Europe as an introduced species and often a weed.

## Sources

- Plate: https://gaia-dex.com/species/58615c13-9109-47cc-89f1-eab515215070
- iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/143803
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persicaria longiseta
- Conservation status: IUCN Red List category, as recorded by Gaia-Dex
- Photo: https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/43080040/medium.jpg (Andrew Garn, CC-BY, via iNaturalist)

Habitat, diet, size and similar notes are AI-written summaries; check them against the linked sources before relying on them.