Largeleaf Jointweed

Description

Polygonella macrophylla is a species of flowering plant in the knotweed family known by the common name largeleaf jointweed. It is native to a small area around the border between Alabama and Florida in the United States.This plant is a perennial herb or subshrub with stiff, erect stems coming from a woody base and taproot. It may exceed one meter in height. The leathery leaves are alternately arranged. The largest near the stem bases are up to 6.8 centimeters long. They are mostly oval with smooth edges and rounded tips. The inflorescence is made up of a number of racemes of flowers. There is a white- or pinkish-flowered form and a red-flowered form.This species occurs in the Florida scrub of the Florida Panhandle and a part of southern Alabama. It grows in open scrub and coastal dunes. Rare in general, it can be common in its range.The main threat to the species is the loss of its scrub habitat to development and silviculture