What is "fallopia"

Fallopia is a genus of about 12–15 species of flowering plants in the buckwheat family, often included in a wider treatment of the related genus Polygonum in the past. The genus is native to temperate and subtropical regions of the Northern Hemisphere. The genus includes herbaceous perennial plants, herbaceous vines, and woody vines.

Several species are serious invasive weeds, notably Japanese knotweed in Europe and North America.

The genus is named after Italian botanist Gabriello Fallopio, or Fallopius, who was the superintendent of the botanical garden at Padua. He was also an acclaimed anatomist, being considered a founder of modern anatomy along with Vesalius and Eustachius.

Fallopia species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Coleophora therinella (recorded on F. convolvulus).

Accepted Species

• Fallopia aubertii (L.Henry) Holub - silver lace vine, China
• Fallopia baldschuanica (Polygonum baldschuanicum is a synonym) - Russian vine; mile-a-minute vine; China fleece vine; fleece flower Eastern, Asia.
• Fallopia cilinodis (syn. Polygonum cilinode and Bilderdykia cilinodis are synonyms) - fringed black bindweed, North America.
• Fallopia convolvulus (Polygonum convolvulus and Bilderdykia convolvulus are synonyms) - black-bindweed, Europe, Asia, northern Africa.
• Fallopia cristata (Engelm. ex A.Gray) Holub - eastern + central United States
• Fallopia cynanchoides (Polygonum cynanchoides is a synonym) - Western China.
• Fallopia dentatoalata (Polygonum dentatoalatum is a synonym) - Eastern Asia.
• Fallopia denticulata (Polygonum denticulatum is a synonym) - Southern China.
• Fallopia dumetorum (Polygonum dumetorum and Bilderdykia dumetorum are synonyms) - copse bindweed, Europe, Asia, northern Africa.
• Fallopia filipes (Hara) Holub - Nepal
• Fallopia koreana B.U.Oh & J.G.Kim - Korea
• Fallopia multiflora (Polygonum multiflorum is a synonym) - Eastern Asia.
• Fallopia pterocarpa (Polygonum pterocarpum is a synonym) - Southern Asia.
• Fallopia scandens (Polygonum scandens and Reynoutria scandens are synonyms) - climbing false buckwheat, North America.
• Fallopia schischkinii Tzvelev - Russian Far East

Renamed species

• Fallopia forbesii is a synonym of Reynoutria forbesii (Hance) T.Yamaz - Northern China, Korea.
• Fallopia japonica Houtt. is a synonym of * Reynoutria japonica Houtt. Japanese knotweed - Eastern Asia.
• Fallopia multiflora (Thunb.) Haraldson is a synonym of Reynoutria multiflora (Thunb.) Moldenke - Eastern Asia

Unresolved species

• Fallopia sachalinensis is an unresolved species name that may be synonymous with Reynoutria sachalinensis (F.Schmidt) Nakai giant knotweed - Eastern Siberia.