Achoreum:  Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora and Flora of Alberta leading to this species.   glabrous annuals stem prostrate, decumbent, decumbent-ascending, to erect plants much larger than 3-13 cm long stems NOT twining stems coarse; NOT slender stems striate leaves oval, obovate, elliptic, or elliptic-oblong, very blunt; NOT linear to narrowly elliptic-oblong or lanceolate leaves NOT:(broad with cordate or hastate base) length to width ratio 2.5 to 1; NOT 4 to 1 or more leaves small; NOT large leaves jointed to a short, petiole-like portion of the ocreae ocreae hyaline, 2-lobed, at length lacerate flowers in small axillary clusters scattered along the stems; NOT in dense terminal or axillary spikes or racemes; NOT crowded at tips of branches fruit erect or ascending; NOT reflexed or pendulous achenes usually brownish; NOT black

 

Polygonum: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora and Flora of Alberta leading to this genus. leaves with ocreae flowers in axillary clusters or terminal spike-like racemes; NOT in corymbiform clusters flowers NOT in involucrate clusters plants WITHOUT a whorl of bracts below flowers sepals 5, more or less equal stamens 8 or fewer stigmas NOT tufted seeds generally enclosed by somewhat enlarged calyx, but, if protruding from calyx, the leaves are long and narrow embryo at one angle of the lens-shaped or 3-angled achene

Polygonaceae: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora leading to this family.  These answers will not lead to all genera in Polygonaceae found on the Canadian prairies, but will lead to genus Polygonum land plants herbs plants rooted in soil or water plants NOT parasitic on trees plants with more than one pair of leaves leaves alternate leaves with stipules forming a sheath above nodes flowers with only one floral ring, with sepals but not petals stamens and pistils in each flower