POLYGONACEAE - BUCKWHEAT FAMILY
Scientific Description:
Herbs, shrubs or climbers. Leaves usually alternate, simple. Stipules usually united into a membranous sheath (ochrea) around the stem. Flowers in spikes; fascicles or panicles, hermaphrodite or unisexual, actinomorphic. Pedicels usually with a marked articulation. Perianth 3−6-merous, the segments united below, often enlarging in fruit. Petals absent. Stamens 6−9, rarely up to 16. Ovary superior, unilocular. Styles 2−4. Ovule 1, basal. Fruit a trigonous or lenticular nut, often enclosed in the persistent perianth.
Reference:
Davis PH (1967).Polygonaceae, In: Davis PH (ed.), Flora of Turkey and the East Aegean Islands, Edinburgh University Press, Edinburgh, 2: 265.
Public Description:
Polygonaceae, consists mostly of herbs and some trees, shrubs, and vines,commonly known as “Buckwheat Family”, “Knotweed Family” or “Smartweed Family”, and spreads all over the world, but reaches the highest species diversity in the northern temperate regions.The scientific name of this family originates from the words "poly" meaning "many" and "goni" meaning "node" in Greek, which refers to bulging nodes on the stems of some species. Various plant parts of some species in this family are used as food. The petioles of “rhubarb (Rheum rhabarbarum L. and hybrids)” are consumed in Europe as food. The petioles of "Syrian rhubarb (Rheum ribes L.)" are collected from nature and used as food in Eastern Anatolia. The leaves of the " sheep's sorrel (Rumex acetosella L.)" and “common sorrel (Rumex acetosa L.)” are eaten as salad or leaf vegetables.The edible seeds of “buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench)” are commonly used in flour, especially in crepe flours, and also in poultry as feed.
The "Knotweed (Polygonum L.)" which is frequently used in Central Anatolian cuisine is a member of this family.
References:
Anonymous 1 (2016). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polygonaceae /,Accessed date: 31.03.2016.
Anonymous 2(2016). https://gobotany.newenglandwild.org/search/?q=polygonaceae/Accessed date: 31.03.2016
