Editing Polygonaceae (section)

==Description==
[[Image:Ocreae of a Persicaria maculosa 2006-aug-10 Gothenburg Sweden.jpg|thumb|right|Ochrea of ''[[Persicaria maculosa]]'']]

Most Polygonaceae are [[Perennial plant|perennial]] [[Herbaceous plant|herbaceous]] plants with swollen [[Glossary of botanical terms#N|nodes]], but [[tree]]s, [[shrub]]s and [[vine]]s are also present. The [[leaves]] of Polygonaceae are [[Leaf#Divisions of the blade|simple]], and arranged [[Phyllotaxis|alternately]] on the [[Plant stem|stems]]. Each leaf has a peculiar pair of fused, sheathing [[stipule]]s, known as an [[ochrea]]. Those species that do not have the nodal ochrea can be identified by their possession of [[Involucral bract|involucrate]] [[Head (botany)|flower heads]]. The [[flower]]s are normally [[Plant sexuality#Terminology|bisexual]], small, and [[Floral symmetry|actinomorphic]], with a perianth of three to six [[sepal]]s.  After [[Anthesis|flowering]], the sepals often become thickened and enlarged around the developing [[fruit]]. Flowers lack a [[Glossary of botanical terms#C|corolla]] and in some, the sepals are petal-like and colorful. The [[androecium]] is composed of three to eight [[stamen]]s that are normally free or [[Connation|united]] at the base. The [[Ovary (plants)|ovary]] consists of three united [[carpel]]s that form a single [[locule]], which produces only one [[ovule]]. The ovary is [[superior ovary|superior]] with basal or free-central [[Placentation#Placentation in plants|placentation]]. The [[gynoecium]] terminates in 1 to 3 [[style (botany)|styles]], each of which ends in a single [[Stigma (botany)|stigma]].<ref name="jones1979">Samuel B. Jones and Arlene E. Luchsinger. 1979. ''Plant systematics''. McGraw-Hill series in organismic biology. New York: McGraw-Hill. Page 254. {{ISBN|0-07-032795-5}}</ref><ref name="judd2008">Walter S. Judd, Christopher S. Campbell, Elizabeth A. Kellogg, Peter F. Stevens, and Michael J. Donoghue. 2008. ''Plant Systematics: A Phylogenetic Approach'', Third Edition. Sinauer Associates: Sunderland, MA, USA. {{ISBN|978-0-87893-407-2}}</ref><ref name="takhtajan2009">Armen L. Takhtajan (Takhtadzhian). ''Flowering Plants'' second edition (2009), pages 155-156. Springer Science+Business Media. {{ISBN|978-1-4020-9608-2}}. (see ''External links'' below)</ref>
[[File:Persicaria capitata AF crop.jpg|250px|thumb|''[[Persicaria capitata]]'' or pink knotweed]]