lady's-thumb, Persicaria maculosa

Lady's-thumb, or smartweed, redshank, Jesusplant, or spotted lady's-thumb. There is also an array of technical names, particularly if you prefer lumping this into genus Polygonum. One old name iis Polygonum puritanicum. It would be interesting to know more about that choice. Perhaps because it arrived here as early as the Puritans? Lady's-thumb is one of the world's most common weeds, growing almost anywhere. It's been eaten as a grain or green, produces a red dye, and has found a number of uses in herbal medicine. With us this Eurasian has been reported from every state and province except HI, NT, and NU, and grows on GL and SPM. Lenawee Co MI, 8/10/11. Knotweed family, Polygonaceae.