WILD BUCKWHEAT

'Wild Buckwheat' (''Fallopia convolvulus'', syn ''Polygonum convolvulus'' L., ''Bilderdykia convolvulus'' (L.) Dumont) is a fast-growing annual flowering plant in the family Polygonaceae. It is also known as 'Black Bindweed', 'Climbing Bindweed', and 'Corn Bindweed'. It is native throughout Europe, Asia and northern Africa ^[1].
It is a herbaceous vine growing to 1-2 m long, with alternate triangular leaves 2-6 cm long. The basal lobes of the leaves are pointed at the petiole. The flowers are small, and greenish-pink to greenish white, clustered on racemes. These clusters give way to small triangular fruit, with one seed in each fruit ^[2].
Note that while it superficially resemble true bindweeds (genus ''Convolvulus'') there are many notable differences; Wild Buckwheat has ocrea (stipule-sheath at nodes), which true bindweeds do not; bindweeds have conspicuous flowers typical of morning-glories while wild buckweed has flowers that are unobtrusive and only about 4 mm long ².

Contents

Cultivation and uses

References

Cultivation and uses

Wild Buckwheat seeds are edible, and were used in the past as a food crop, with remains found in Bronze Age middens ^[3]. The seeds are too small and low-yielding to make a commercial crop, and it is now more widely considered a weed, occurring in crops, waste areas and roadsides. It is also an invasive species in North America ¹.
Wild Buckwheat prefers cultivated land, but can survive on many different locales and soil types ². It can be a damaging weed when it is growing in a garden or crop, as it can not only damage the plant it entwines itself around, but can also hinder mechanised harvesting.

References

1. Germplasm Resources Information Network: ''Fallopia convolvulus''
2. Richard H. Uva, Joseph C. Neal and Joseph M. Ditomaso, 1997. ''Weeds of The Northeast''. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, pp. 276-277.
3. Blamey, M. & Grey-Wilson, C., 1989. ''Flora of Britain and Northern Europe''. ISBN 0-340-40170-2.