(meadow bistort)
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Photo of Bistorta plumosa by Eric Groth
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Bistorta plumosa is a perennial herb in the buckwheat family (Polygonaceae) with a characteristic dense
spike of pink flowers that grows in moist peaty areas from
muskeg into tundra. Plants grow 15-30 cm tall from a thick, hard
rhizome. Leaves are
simple, alternate,
elliptic to
oblong, with
entire margins and winged
petioles. Leaves are dark green above and gray beneath. Stems are single to several per plant, with several sheathing stem leaves. Stems terminate in a compact
spike of numerous small pink flowers, usually more than 1 cm across. Flowers are
perfect. Meadow bistort is a distinctive member of the flora; no other species has a similar fat
spike of tightly-packed small pink flowers.
Bistorta plumosa is perennial and
deciduous. It flowers mid-summer.
Bistorta plumosa is
monoecious with bisexual flowers. Flowers are insect pollinated. Seeds do not have any special adaptations for dispersal.
Bistorta plumosa is an amphi-Beringian species with an arctic-alpine distribution. In North America, it occurs in Alaska, Yukon and the Northwest Territory. In Alaska, this species occurs statewide except it is rare or absent in the Aleutians and southeastern panhandle. In Denali, B. plumosa is common and widespread in suitable habitat, occurring primarily in the mountains on both sides of the Alaska Range.
Details are shown in the Plots & Charts found at right, depicting recent Denali data.
Polygonum bistorta is found at elevations from 289 m to 1575 m with an average plot elevation of 944 m. It is more common on north facing aspects. It prefers moderately angled sites, with an average plot slope of 11 degrees.
Details are shown in the Plots & Charts found at right. For more on how to interpret these figures, visit Understanding Data Presented.
Wide-ranging; wet to somewhat dry sites.
