Polygonella articulata (L.) Meisn.

Sand jointweed, coastal jointweed

About plant names...

These unusual-looking plants are North American natives.

Plants: 4-15" (10-38 cm) in height, with very thin, wiry, jointed stems that branch often. If you don't look closely you might mistake them for small tufts of thin grass. At closer range, though, they are quite striking, since a red papery sheath at each joint creates an alternating pattern of red and green.

Leaves: Leaves are very small and narrow, and inrolled.

Flowers: White or pink, sometimes red, on stalks that are also jointed near the base, in inflorescences usually ¾-1¼" (2-3.3 cm) long. Flowers are about ⅛" (3.2 mm) in size, nodding like tiny bells, with five petals and pink stalks. They bloom from July to November.

Online References:

The University of Wisconsin's Robert W. Freckmann Herbarium

CalPhotos

Ontario Wildflowers

The Connecticut Botanical Society's Connecticut wildflowers site

EFloras

References:

Newcomb, Lawrence, Morrison, Gordon (Illus.), Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide, Little, Brown and Company, 1977, p. 172

Clemants, Steven; Gracie, Carol, Wildflowers in the Field and Forest, Oxford University Press, 2006, p. 276

9/11/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 6 × 9" (14 × 22 cm)

9/11/2013 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 6 × 6" (14 × 15 cm)

9/4/2012 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 6 × 4" (15 × 10 cm)

9/18/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 3 × 3½" (7.9 × 9.3 cm)

9/11/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 6 × 9" (14 × 22 cm)

9/11/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 3½ × 5" (9 × 12 cm)

9/4/2012 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 5 × 3½" (13 × 9.2 cm)

9/18/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 3 × 4" (7.9 × 10 cm)

Polygonella articulata description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 6 Sep 2021.

© FloraFinder.org. All rights reserved.

7/29/2023 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts

9/4/2012 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 5 × 3½" (13 × 9.2 cm)

~1 x 0.75" · 7/29/2023 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts

~2 x 2" · 7/29/2023 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts

9/11/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 5 × 8" (13 × 19 cm)

9/4/2012 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 7 × 4½" (16 × 11 cm)

9/18/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 3½ × 5" (9.2 × 13 cm)

~2 x 2" · 7/29/2023 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts

9/11/2013 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 4 × 3½" (10 × 9.1 cm)

9/11/2013 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 6 × 6" (14 × 14 cm)

9/4/2012 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 7 × 4½" (17 × 11 cm)

Range:

About this map...