Polygonum tenellum Blume, Bijdr. 530. 1825; Polygonum minus Hudson var. subcontinum (Meisn.) Meisn. in DC. Prodr. 14: 111. 1857. Polygonum micranthum Meisn. in Miq., Ann. Mus. Lugd.-Bat. 2: 59. 1865; Polygonum minus auct.: Hook. f., Fl. Brit. Ind. 5: 36. 1886; R.R.Stewart, Ann. Cat. Vasc. Pl. W. Pak. & Kashm. 207. 1972; Kak in J. Bomb. Nat. Hist. Soc. 18: 516. 1984. non Hudson; Polygonum minus Huds. subsp. micranthum (Meisn.) Danser in Bull. Jard. B. Buitenzorg Ser. 3,8: 176, f. 8. 1927; Polygonum kawagoeanum Makino in Bot. Mag. Tokyo 28: 115. 1914; Persicaria kawagoeana (Makino) Nakai in Rigakukai 24: 12. 1926; Munshi & Javeid, Polygon. Syst. Stud. Kashm. Himal. 64. 1986; Polygonum tenellum var. kawagoeanum (Makino) Murata in Acta Physt. Geobot. 26: 88. 1974.

A small, annual, slender, glabrous, erect to ascending herb, simple or much branched, branches 12-35 cm tall or long. Leaves sessile to subsessile, petiole 1-2 (-3) mm long, lamina linear lanceolate to oblong lanceolate, 1-3.5 (-4.5) x 0.5-1.5 cm with a rounded base, acute at the apex, entire, glabrous or puberulous beneath or minutely strigose on the midrib beneath. Ochreae tubular, strigosely hairy to ± glabrous, 0.6-1.25 cm long, ciliate at the mouth of the tube, cilia much shorter than the tube. Inflorescence terminal or axillary filiform racemes with 1-3 flowers in each axil, racemes 1.5-3 cm long, erect; ochreolae close not interrupted, tubular, 0.1-0.3 cm long, ciliate at the apex, cilia almost equalling or slightly shorter than the ochreolae. Flowers pink-red, 1.5-2 mm across, shortly pedicellate, pedicel 1.5-2 mm long. Tepals 5, biseriate, oblanceolate-ovate, ± acute, 1-2.5 x 0.5-1.0 mm. Stamens 5, with long filaments, anthers basifixed, dark pink or red, ovary orbicular, c. > 0.5 mm long; styles 2, free to half way, stigmas 2, rounded or capitate. Nuts strongly biconvex to ± orbicular, very rarely trigonous, black shining, glabrous c. 1.5 x 1 mm.

Fl. Per.: July-September.

Type: Mt. Gede, Java, Blume (L).

A fairly common plant, grows in moist places and ditches at higher altitudes; Distribution: Himalayas, Pakistan, India extending east to China and Japan, Malaysia.