Perennial, prostrate or ascending branched herb, 15-30 cm long with a thick stout root stock, ± woody at base, stem angular, with very short internodes, glabrous or puberulous. Leaves shortly petiolate, petiole 2-5 mm long, lamina elliptic or elliptic-oblong, rarely ovate-spathulate, acute or obtuse, margin entire, sometimes recurved, uninerved or sometimes nerves obscure, ± fleshy, 0.5-2.75 x 0.3-1.5 cm. Ochreae ovate, hyaline, silvery, nerves 2, included 2-5 mm long. Flowers axillary, 2 in each axil, 1.5-1.75 mm across, white, pedicel up to 1.0 mm long, perianth lobes 5, tepals ± orbicular, urceolate, tube thick, as long as the lobes. Stamens 5, filaments broad at base, 0.25-0.5 mm long. Styles 2-3 with ± rounded stigmas; ovary trigonous, 1-2 mm long. Nut ovate-trigonous, usually compressed, black or dark brown, c. 3 x 1.5 (-2) mm shining enclosed within the thickened perianth.

Two subspecies are recognized in our region.

Lower Taxa

• Polygonum cognatum subsp. chitralicum (Rech. f. Schiman-Czeika) Qaiser
• Polygonum cognatum subsp. cognatum