Common knotweed, Prostrate knotweed, Doorweed, Knotgrass,
Wiregrass, Yard knotweed,
Hebrew: ארכובית הציפורים, Arabic: بطباط الطيور
| Scientific name: | Polygonum aviculare L. | |
| Synonym name: | Polygonum arenastrum Boreau | |
| Common name: | Common knotweed, Prostrate knotweed, doorweed, knotgrass, wiregrass, yard knotweed | |
| Hebrew name: | ארכובית הציפורים | |
| Arabic name: | بطباط الطيور | |
| Family: | Polygonaceae, ארכוביתיים |
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| Life form: | Annual, therophyte | |
| Stems: | Mat-forming, 10-122 cm in diameter; prostate to erect, 5-200 cm long, many-branched | |
| Leaves: | Alternate, entire | |
| Inflorescence: | Axillary fascicle of small flowers, inconspicuous, 1-6 flowered, on upper part of plant; pedicels jointed, 1-4 mm long; bracts with well-developed blades | |
| Flowers: | Bisexual, pink, white | |
| Fruits / pods: | Achenes, 1.7-4.0 mm long | |
| Flowering Period: | March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October | |
| Habitat: | Disturbed habitats | |
| Distribution: | Mediterranean Woodlands and Shrublands, Semi-steppe shrublands, Shrub-steppes, Deserts and extreme deserts, Montane vegetation of Mt. Hermon | |
| Chorotype: | Plurireginalbor-trop | |
| Summer shedding: | Ephemeral |
Derivation of the botanical name: Polygonum, polys, πολυϛ, πολλη, πολυ, much, many, frequent; large; heavy; gonu, a knee-joint; from the many joints in the stem. aviculare, avisbird; relating to small birds. arenastrum, resembling the genus Arenaria. The Hebrew name: ארכובית, arcuvit, formed from ארכבה, arcuva (Post Biblical Hebrew: knee, knee joint) with suffix -it. Biblical Hebrew: ברך, bereh, knee. ארכובית הציפורים, arkovit ha’tsiporim (Hebrew), 'bird’s polygonum', because of its seeds, much loved by birds.
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