I recently bought a plant labelled : Persicaria microcephala 'Purple Fantasy' and have submitted a few pics to the database. But the plant genus has been changed to Polygonum, making the Persicaria microcephala into a synonym.
I am confused, when I search for Polygonum microcephala 'Purple fantasy' on the web, no images are to be found.


RHS takes persicaria as the accepted genus.
http://apps.rhs.org.uk/rhsplan...

http://apps.rhs.org.uk/rhsplan...

A second confusion is that I already had a plant ( bought as Persicaria runcinata) which looks very similar if not the same apart from the colours on the leaves of P.microcephala Purpla fantasy being more pronounced and the reason why I bought it.
http://apps.rhs.org.uk/horticu...
Persicaria runcinata
Persicaria microcephala 'Purple Fantasy'

Hi Myriam, Thanks for bringing this up as it points out an update we need to make. The latest review of the genus Persicaria and Polygonum can be viewed at The Catalog of Life (CoL) site. Here's Persicaria: http://www.catalogueoflife.org...

Persicaria microcephala is noted as a synonym of Polygonum microcephalum as of 12-Oct-12, CoL China. http://www.catalogueoflife.org...
The Plant list references Tropicos where Polygonum microcephalum var. microcephalum is noted as the accepted name as of 2003. http://www.tropicos.org/Name/5...

Persicaria runcinata per CoL is a synonym of Polygonum runcinatum as of 12-Oct-2012. http://www.catalogueoflife.org...
Per Tropicos, a synonym of Polygonum runcinatum var. runcinatum as of 2003. http://www.tropicos.org/Name/5... I'll update this one per the Col since it is the latest taxonomic scrutiny.

I imagine it will take a while for many sites to update the names, that is unless they get revised again.

Hope this helps.

Thanks Evan for your research, info and these updates, so.. but then the two plants I thought could be the same (apart from the colour intensity); Polygonum runcinata and Polygonum microcephala are considered two different species! I'll have to have a better look at them in detail, maybe with a binocular!

You're welcome. I'm sure binoculars wouldn't help me and your photos are, as usual, beautiful.

I'm sure binoculars wouldn't help me

I think I used the wrong word, Evan, English isn't my native language.. in fact I meant a magnifying glass...

I knew exactly what you meant Myriam and binoculars is perfect.