Classification and Nomenclature of Buckwheat Plants

Abstract Fagopyrum belongs to Polygonaceae, but the determination of Fagopyrum ’s generic name had undergone many modifications. Until now, Fagopyrum should be viewed as an independent genus according to the morphological, palynological, and cytological studies. The basic chromosome number of Fagopyrum is n =8. The flower is bisexual, and its perianth is white, pale red, or yellowish-green, and has five deep lobes, but isn’t accrescent. Every flower has eight stamens, among which five are inner ones and three are outer ones. The pistil consists of three carpels, which can be divided up into a prismatoidal ovary and three styles (heterostylous or homostylous), etc. The achene is prismatoidal, which is exsert from the outside of persistent perianth, either obviously or not. The embryo is situated in the center of the endosperm; the cotyledon is wide and more or less plaited. The furrows of pollen grain are perforated and rough in exine, which forms the granular pattern.