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The Red bistort (Persicaria amplexicaulis) belongs to Polygonaceae (the Knotweed family). It is a perennial herb that is distributed from eastern Afghanistan to central China. It grows in grasslands on mountain slopes, valleys and mixed forests, and is 90 to 120 cm tall. The stem is upright and often branched. The leaves are elliptic to heart-shaped, with a slightly rough texture, and are evergreen in regions with a warm climate. The underside of the leaves is covered in wooly hair. From early summer to the first frost of fall, it produces small flowers in bright red, pink and white, in spikes about 10 cm long. There are many cultivated varieties. The photo shows 'Blackfield'. In Chinese, it is called "包茎拳参" (bao jing quan shen).
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