Asiatic Tearthumb

Description:

Asiatic Tearthumb (AKA: Mile-a-Minute, Devil's Tail or Giant Climbing Tearthumb) spotted near Mount Fuji, Japan, growing on the bank of Saiko Lake. Persicaria perfoliata has a reddish stem that is armed with downward pointing hooks or barbs which are also present on the underside of the leaf blades. The light green leaves are shaped like an equilateral (equal-sided) triangle and alternate along the narrow, delicate stems. Distinctive circular, cup-shaped leafy structures, called ocreass, surround the stem at intervals. Flower buds, and later flowers and fruits, emerge from within the ocreas. Flowers are small, white and generally inconspicuous. The edible fruits are attractive, metallic blue and segmented, each segment containing a single glossy, black or reddish-black seed.

Habitat:

Persicaria perfoliata prefers warm open areas, along the edges of woods, wetlands, stream banks, and roadsides, and uncultivated open fields, resulting from both natural and human causes, dense wooded areas where the overstory has opened up increasing the sunlight to the forest floor. Natural areas such as stream banks, parks, open space, road shoulders, forest edges and fence lines are all typical areas to find P. perfoliata. It also occurs in environments that are extremely wet with poor soil structure.

Notes:

In traditional Chinese medicine, Persicaria perfoliata is known as gangbangui and is thought to be useful for various remedies in herbal medicine. It can also be used as a fiber or used in rope making.