Fallopia scandens (Climbing False Buckwheat) on 10-2-22, #908-10.

Climbing False Buckwheat

Fallopia scandens

fal-OH-pee-uh  SKAN-dens

Synonyms of Fallopia scandens (8) (Updated on 1-8-23 from Plants of the World Online): Bilderdykia scandens (L.) Greene (1904), Fagopyrum scandens (L.) Gross (1913), Helxine scandens (L.) Raf. (1837), Polygonum dumetorum var. scandens (L.) A.Gray (1867), Polygonum scandens L. (1753), Reynoutria scandens (L.) Shinners (1967), Tiniaria scandens Small (1903)

Fallopia scandens (L.) Holub is the accepted scientific name for the Climbing False Buckwheat. It was named and described as such by Josef Ludwig Holub in Folia Geobotanica & Phytotaxonomica in 1971. It was first named Polygonum scandens by Carl von Linnaeus in the first volume of the first edition of Species Plantarum in 1753.

The genus, Fallopia Adans., was named and described as such by Michel Adanson in Familles des Plantes in 1763. The genus was named in honor of Gabriello (Gabriele) Fallopia, a 16th-century Italian anatomist who discovered fallopian tubes.

As of 1-8-23 when I wrote this page, Plants of the World Online lists 12 species in the genus Fallopia. It is a member of the plant family Polygonaceae with 56 genera. Those numbers could change as updates are made on POWO.

Distribution map of Fallopia scandens from Plants of the World Online. Facilitated by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet; http://www.plantsoftheworldonline.org/. Retrieved on October 3, 2022.

The above distribution map is from Plants of the World Online. Areas in green are where the species is native. The map on the USDA Plant Database is similar but doesn’t include Iowa and Kansas. It also uses the name Polygonum scandens var. scandens… The map on The Biota of North America Program (BONAP) is the same as POWO.

The map on iNaturalist shows where members have made observations. Anyone can join and it is a great website to confirm and share your observations. The maps on iNaturalist are continually updated as members post new observations.

THERE ARE SEVERAL LINKS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE FOR FURTHER READING AND TO HELP WITH A POSITIVE ID.

Fallopia scandens (Climbing False Buckwheat) on 10-2-22, #908-11.

Hello everyone! I found a few Fallopia scandens while taking photos of plants on the fence in the front pasture.

Writing descriptions and making updates is a winter project, so I will be doing that very soon. There are several links at the bottom of the page that have a lot of information.

Fallopia scandens (Climbing False Buckwheat) on 10-2-22, #908-12.

Fallopia scandens (Climbing False Buckwheat) on 10-2-22, #908-13.

I live on a small farm in Windsor, Missouri where I enjoy gardening, collecting plants, and identifying wildflowers. The farm is in Pettis County but Henry County is across the street, and Benton and Johnson aren’t far away. I have grown over 500 different plants and identified over 250 species of wildflowers (most have pages listed on the right side of the page). I am not an expert, botanist, or horticulturalist. I just like growing, photographing, and writing about my experience. I rely on several websites for ID and a few horticulturalists I contact if I cannot figure them out. Wildflowers can be variable from location to location, so that can be a bit confusing. If you see I have made an error, please let me know so I can correct what I have written.

I hope you found this page useful and be sure to check the links below for more information. They were written by experts and provide much more information. Some sites may not be up-to-date but they are always a work in progress. If you can, I would appreciate it if you would click on the “Like” below and leave a comment. It helps us bloggers stay motivated. You can also send an email to me at thebelmontrooster@yahoo.com. I would enjoy hearing from you especially if you notice something is a bit whacky.

FOR FURTHER READING:
PLANTS OF THE WORLD ONLINE (GENUS/SPECIES)
INTERNATIONAL PLANT NAMES INDEX (GENUS/SPECIES)
TROPICOS (GENUS/SPECIES)
FLORA OF NORTH AMERICA (GENUS/SPECIES)
WORLD FLORA ONLINE (GENUS/SPECIES)
WIKIPEDIA (GENUS/SPECIES)
USDA PLANTS DATABASE
MISSOURI PLANTS
MISSOURI DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION
iNATURALIST
WILDFLOWER SEARCH
ILLINOIS WILDFLOWERS
MINNESOTA WILDFLOWERS
KANSAS WILDFLOWERS AND GRASSES
GO BOTANY
LADY BIRD JOHNSON WILDFLOWER CENTER
FLORA FINDER
MARYLAND BIODIVERSITY PROJECT
CLIMBERS-UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN

NOTE: The data (figures, maps, accepted names, etc.) may not match on these websites. It depends on when and how they make updates and when their sources make updates. Some websites have hundreds and even many thousands of species to keep up with. Accepted scientific names change periodically and it can be hard to keep with as well. Some of the links may use a name that is a synonym on other sites. In my opinion, Plants of the World Online by Kew is the most reliable and up-to-date plant database and they make updates on a regular basis. I make updates “at least” once a year and when I write new pages or add new photos but I do get behind. We are all a work in progress. 🙂