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Persicaria pubescens Blume

Synonym	:	Polygonum pubescens (Blume) H. Hara
Family	:	Polygonaceae
Local name	:	English: Drooping knotweed
Flowering and fruiting period	:	February-July
Distribution		Indo-Malesia and east Asia
Distribution in Kerala	:	Idukki, Kannur
Habitat	:	Marshy areas
IUCN status		Least concerned
Uses	:	The plant is abortifacient, emmenagogue.  It is used in the treatment of snakebites. Seed - raw or cooked. It is rather small and fiddly to utilize. A decoction of the plant, combined with onion, is used as a styptic. When used with a young pineapple to procure abortion.The bruised plant is applied locally to blistered and swollen feet.
Key Botanical Characters :  Stout herbs; stems sometimes decumbent at base.Leaves elliptic to linear-lanceolate, acuminate, hispid below and along the nerves above; ochrea 15 mm long, adpressed-hairy, strongly bristled at mouth. Racemes 6-10cm long, slender; bracts obovate, ciliate, glabrous. Flowers paired, pedicellate, glandular-pubescent; stamens 10. style 3-fid, stigmas globose. Nut trigonous.