Vern.: Masloon, Chookroo.

Polygonum affine D. Don, Prodr., Fl. Nep. 70. 1825; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. Ind. 5: 33. 1886; Schiman-Czeika & Rech.f. in Rech.f., Fl. Iran. 56: 62. 1968; R. R. Stewart, Ann. Cat. Vasc. Pl. W. Pak. & Kashm. 202. 1972; Bhopal & Chaudhri in Pak. Syst. 1(2): 80. 1977; Polygonum donianum Spreng. Syst. 4: 154. 1827; P. brunonis Wall. in Royle, Ill. Bot. Himal. Mount. 317. t. 80. 1839; Persicaria affinis (D. Don) Ronse Decr. in Bot. J. Linn. Soc. 98. 368. 1988.

Densely tufted, 10-25 cm high, glabrous with woody rootstock, perennial, branched herb. Leaves basal as well as cauline, sessile or shortly petiolate. Basal leaves 3.25-6.0 x 1.0-2.0 cm, elliptic to ovate or obovate, subsessile to petiolate, obtuse to acute, crenulate, glaucous beneath; cauline leaves few, 2.5-4.0 x 0.8-1.2 cm, narrowly lanceolate to lanceolate, obtuse to acute. Ochrea 4-10 mm long, tubular, brown with prominent veins. Inflorescence a pedunculate, 2-4 cm spicate head. Ochreolae ovate-obovate, 2.5-4 x 2-3 mm,. Flowers pedicellate, 2.5-3.0 (-3.5) mm across. Pedicel 2-3 mm long. Tepals 5, biseriate, pink, 3-4 x 1-2 mm, elliptic, obtuse to acute. Stamens 8, biseriate, inner series with long filaments. Ovary trigonous with free and long styles, stigma rounded. Nuts 2-2.5 x 1-2 mm, trigonous, dark brown, smooth and shining.

Fl. Per.: June-September.

Type: Hab. in Nepaliae alpibus, Wallich.

A common alpine and subalpine species, grows on open slopes, edges and rocky places on higher altitudes from 3000-4800 m, quite variable especially in the habit, leaf and peduncle length. On the higher altitudes, the plant tends to become semiprostrate to ± cushion-like with erect floral axis. However, this variation seems to be ± continuous or clinal in nature; Distribution: Pakistan (Himalayas, Hindukush), India, Nepal and Western Myanmar.

The rhizome is used for making tea and used in the same way as that of the following species, Bistorta amplexicaulis.