Polygonum douglasii is a species of flowering plant in the knotweed family known by the common name Douglas's knotweed. It is native to much of northern and western North America, where it can be found in many types of habitat, including disturbed areas. It has been found in Canada from British Columbia north to Yukon and east as far as Québec, and in the United States as far south as California, New Mexico, Iowa, and New York.Biota of North America Program 2014 state-level distribution map Polygonum douglasii is known as a species complex, as there are many subspecies that may be better treated as species in their own right.Flora of North AmericaCostea, M. & F. J. Tardif. (2005). Taxonomy of the Polygonum douglasii (Polygonaceae) complex with a new species from Oregon. Brittonia 57:1 1–27.Greene, Edward Lee. 1885. Bulletin of the California Academy of Sciences 1(3): 125–126 Polygonum douglasii is variable in morphology and the subspecies are often difficult to distinguish. In general, plants in this complex are annual herbs growing erect to maximum heights anywhere between 3 and 80 centimeters (1.2–32 inches) with thin, angular stems. High-elevation plants are smaller and sometimes trailing on the surface of the ground. The leaves are linear or widely lance-shaped, sometimes falling away to leave the plant mostly naked in flowering, or reduced to tiny scales at the stem tips. The flowers are a few millimeters long, pink to white, sometimes remaining closed or opening together in a cluster.Flora of North America, Polygonum douglasii Greene, 1885. Douglas's knotweed, renouée de DouglasThe Plant List, Polygonum douglasii Greene
No narrative description available for this taxon yet.
A DNA barcode is a short, standardised stretch of genes that works like a fingerprint — enough to tell one species from another. Below is the molecular trace Polygonum douglasii has left across the world's sequence archives.
At a glance
DNA specimens25
Marker genes7
GenBank sequences10
eDNA detections11
Countries2
The DNA barcodea real sequence read deposited for this species
★ the standard DNA barcode for this group — the short region actually read to tell this species apart. The rest are extra genes sequenced along the way.
★matK★rbcL4★rbcLa★trnL-F★ITS6★ITS2trnH-psbA
plant barcodefungal barcodemarker
06Genome at a glanceCCDB
The complete instruction manualPolygonum douglasii carries — its genome. We read it from three angles — how big it is, how the DNA is packed into chromosomes, and how completely it has been sequenced — and explain how to read each value as you go.
Chromosomes & ploidyhow the DNA is packaged
2n is the full chromosome count in a normal body cell; n is a gamete (egg or sperm), which carries half. Ploidy is how many complete chromosome sets each cell holds — 2× (diploid) is typical for animals, while higher levels (polyploidy) are common in plants. Click any value below to see the underlying records and sources.
Human sightings and records, or camera-trap / sensor detections — someone (or a device) saw or captured the species in the wild.
Coordinate accuracy90% within 1 km
≤100 m 144≤1 km 12≤10 km 3>10 km 14
173 georeferenced · 85 without coordinates
Open the mapobservation + sensor258
Museum / Voucheredphysical evidence
Backed by a physical specimen — a herbarium sheet, sample or voucher held in a collection. “Vouchered” means supported by material evidence, not just an observation.
Coordinate accuracy54% within 1 km
≤100 m 207≤1 km 586≤10 km 576>10 km 90
1 459 georeferenced · 1 387 without coordinates
Open the institutions mapphysical evidence2 846
Wildobservation + sensor
Human sightings and records, or camera-trap / sensor detections — someone (or a device) saw or captured the species in the wild.
10Collections & institutions
Holding institutions79 of 120 geolocated
Institutions and collections holding physical, vouchered specimens of this species — click a row to fly to it on the map.
Institution
Specimens
Bronx, US
187
DOI/NPS, Colonial National Historical Parklocation not on record
151
Pullman, US
150
WTUlocation not on record
147
Corvallis, US
131
Moscow, US
130
DOI/NPS, Little Rock Central High School National Historic Sitelocation not on record
99
Chicago, US
89
Madison, US
88
Boise, US
85
Claremont, US
85
Davis, US
69
Missoula, US
65
Angwin, US
65
Denver, US
63
Arcata, US
58
Musee des Dinosaures d'Esperaza (Aude)location not on record
56
Caldwell, US
50
Riverside, US
49
Wuzhou, CN
47
Vancouver, CA
43
Flagstaff, US
42
St. Paul, US
40
CASlocation not on record
37
Victoria, CA
35
Bozeman, US
34
Chongqing Museumlocation not on record
34
Museo civico La Terra e l'Uomo di Crocetta del Montellolocation not on record
33
Pocatello, US
32
Provo, US
31
Albuquerque, US
26
Ann Arbor, US
25
Fredericton Stock Culture Collectionlocation not on record
24
Chadron, US
24
Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratorylocation not on record
23
Phoenix, US
23
Logan, US
22
Santa Barbara, US
22
Spearfish, US
21
San Diego, US
21
ASUlocation not on record
20
Canadian Department of Agriculturelocation not on record
18
DOI/NPS, Greenbelt Parklocation not on record
16
Durango, US
14
Toronto, CA
12
University of Alberta Museumslocation not on record
12
San Luis Obispo, US
11
Tacoma, US
11
Burlington, US
10
Orem, US
9
Brookings, US
9
US
9
Ashland, US
8
University of New Hampshirelocation not on record
8
Lincoln, US
8
WINlocation not on record
8
Moscow State Universitylocation not on record
7
Pittsburg, US
7
Tampa, US
7
Université Lavallocation not on record
6
Saint Louis, US
6
Bangkok, TH
6
San Jose, US
6
Bureau of Land Managementlocation not on record
5
Severin-McDaniel Insect Collectionlocation not on record
5
Cheney, US
5
Bloomington, US
4
EL PASO, US
4
Los Angeles, US
4
Québec, CA
4
US
4
Whitehorse, CA
4
Emporia, US
4
Yellowstone National Park Herbariumlocation not on record
4
Columbia, US
3
Tempe, US
3
Paris, FR
3
University of Lethbridgelocation not on record
3
STNFlocation not on record
3
Northridge, US
3
Eastern Nevada Landscape Coalitionlocation not on record
2
USFSlocation not on record
2
Nanjing, CN
2
University of Stellenboschlocation not on record
2
Montréal, CA
2
University of Wisconsinlocation not on record
2
Montréal, CA
2
BAYLUlocation not on record
2
KNFHClocation not on record
2
HJAEFlocation not on record
2
Fullerton, US
2
DOI/NPS, Mount Rainier National Parklocation not on record
2
AUAlocation not on record
2
USFS/BHSClocation not on record
2
Grand Junction, US
2
San Francisco, US
1
IDElocation not on record
1
Durham, US
1
San Angelo, US
1
Research Collection of B. A. Bennettlocation not on record
1
DULlocation not on record
1
GB
1
Truckee, US
1
Dekalb, US
1
Wellington, NZ
1
Bend, US
1
Saint John, CA
1
Bandelier National Monumentlocation not on record
1
Mexico City, MX
1
New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Sciencelocation not on record
1
Weber State Universitylocation not on record
1
Trondheim, NO
1
Turlock, US
1
New Haven, US
1
Kew, GB
1
Beijing, CN
1
Henderson, US
1
San Jose State University, Museum of Birds and Mammalslocation not on record
1
DOI/NPS, Craters of the Moon National Monument & Preservelocation not on record
1
McWane Science Centerlocation not on record
1
120 institutions · 2 804 of 2 846 vouchered records shown · 42 without an institution code
09Environmental DNA11 detections
Where the DNA of Polygonum douglasii was picked up in samples of water, soil or air — nobody saw the organism, only its DNA left behind. A trace is a clue that the species was near, not a confirmed sighting.
Signal
Detections DNA found11
Studies independent surveys1
Countries2
Signal confidence: weakweighed across independent studies, places & mapped detections
Where its DNA was found
0 of 11 detections have coordinates
Open the map2 countries0
Ravine bottom.Rocky hillside subjected to wind, trailside,…roadside bankGranite rocksdry talus and gravel slopesWet forest, subalpine fir/Globe huckleberry-…
How strong is each trace?
DNA read depthRead counts were not reported for this species — the map shows presence only, not how strong each trace was.
Modelled climatemodelled
−15°Ctemperature across detection sites+40°C
Temperature median14.4 °C 12.6–15.7
Seasonal swing summer↔winter24.3 °C
Max temp (day)22.0 °C 19.8–23.1
Min temp (night)7.00 °C 5.50–9.70
Precipitation61.2 mm/mo 33.3–72.3
Air humidity48.6 % 44.1–50.8
Moisture balance-90.1 mm/mo -128–-78.3
Vapour deficit836 Pa 785–941
Wind speed3.30 m/s 2.70–5.20
Cloud cover24.0 % 23.2–30.6
CHELSA 1981–2010, ~9 km grid, at location & month of 6 detection points · median with p10–p90 · reflects where sampling happened, not only the true niche
How to read this: each dot is one detection of this species' DNA in an environmental sample. The confidence meter weighs how many independent studies and places back up the signal — one detection in one study is a hint; many across several studies is solid. Records dated before 2008 (when eDNA methods began) are treated as likely mislabeled and left off the map.