User:Julianna.Harden/Persicaria foliosa

Perscicaria foliosa
The common name of Perscicaria foliosa is Willowherb. It is an annual, aquatic plant that is low growing. The plant is primarily native to Finland, Norway, and Sweden. Sweden is home to half of the world premises that have Perscicaria foliosa. Perscicaria foliosa is usually found around brackish waters near estuaries and rivers. The plant is seemingly only capable of germination when it is in close proximity to a body of water. The plant is now considered a nearly endangered species because of both the uplift of the land in the area that it grows in and rapid climate change.

Physical Characteristics
Perscicaria foliosa is a low-growing, annual herb that grows to be about 3-40cm. The leaves on the plant are mainly linear and resemble a "lady's thumb." If the plant is on land, it is usually more red and if the plant is closer to a body of water it will appear more green. There is a seed in the plant that is shiny and is usually dark brown and around 1.5–1.8 mm long.

Distribution
Perscicaria foliosa is primarily native to Finland, Norway, and Sweden. Sweden is home to half of the world premises that have Perscicaria foliosa. Perscicaria foliosa grows on bodies of water like beaches, rivers, lakes, and sea beaches in brackish water in rivers or estuaries. It is unable to assert itself against plants such as reeds, cattails or other higher shore vegetation. It is therefore dependent on either hard beach grazing or by large natural fluctuations in the water level that expose bare beaches. The species is heavily dependent on light and weak in competition when it comes to other plants.

Cultivation
Perscicaria foliosa plants usually bloom in mid to late July or early August with small, greenish pink or red flowers that are gathered in narrow, sparse areas. The flowering time varies each year depending on the water level of the habitat of the Perscicaria Foliosa plant; it only germinates when its growing place lacks moisture.

Endangerment
In 1980, it was documented that Perscicaria foliosa was found on 141 premises in Sweden. In recent years, the species has exponentially declined and has vanished from most of the premises previously mentioned in Sweden. As of 2015, it is recognized as a Nearly Endangered (NT) species.

Etymology
According to the Merriam-Webster's dictionary, Perscicaria means "a plant of the genus Polygonum that has flowers in spicate racemes (as the lady's thumb or water pepper.) Foliosa means "leafy". Knowing the etymology of an organism's scientific name is important because it can give you clues on how the physical characteristics of plant or how it functions. The meaning of the scientific name Perscicaria Foliosa tells scientists that the plant has leafs that look like lady thumbs.

Uses (or Culture)
There has not been any published uses on the plant.