Common name
English: Japanese knotweed
German: Japanischer Staudenknöterich
Classification
Kingdom: Plantae (2715)
Phylum: Tracheophyta (2630)
Class: Magnoliopsida (2217)
Order: Polygonales (29)
Family: Polygonaceae (31)(family description)
Genus: Reynoutria (2)
Epithet: japonica Houtt. (7)
Synonyms: Fallopia compacta (Hook.f.) G.H.Loos & P.Keil, Fallopia japonica (Houtt.) Ronse Decr., Pleuropterus cuspidatus (Siebold & Zucc.) H.Gross, Polygonum cuspidatum Siebold & Zucc., Polygonum reynoutria Makino, Reynoutria henryi Nakai
compacta => compact, close together
cuspidatum => with a sharp and rigid point
cuspidatus => with a sharp and rigid point
henryi => in honor of Augustine Henry (1857-1930); Irish physician, plant collector in China and botanist
japonica => from Japan
Characteristics
Climate: temperate
Habitat: helophytic
Habit: herb
Flower colour: white