FLORA OF ICELAND elements: Bistorta vivipara, alpine bistort

Bistorta vivipara; The Alpine Bistort is a common plant found in all heathers and bogs - from sea level to 1000 meter. It is an interesting plant. For one the fruits develop into bulbils on the plant from which young plants develop. It grows abundantly both in the lusher vegations of coastal regions as well as in the barren highlands. Obviously its appearance differs. On the desert highlands one can see many minute plants spread over seemingly barren gravel soils. The white flowers cause many little white dots in the grey-black deserts. I noticed that in the second half of the summer well developed plants in the lowlands had germinating seedlings (vivipara!) from the bulbils on the plants while the bulbils of highland plants easily dropped from the plants of the parent plants when touching (accidentally rubbing ) the plants.
It is a member of the Dock family (Polygonaceae).

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