126 xv. polyga.le;e (Oliver). [Polygah. 



Erect, 1-3 ft. Leaves linear, tapering. Lateral petals entire or 



slightly depressed on oblique inner side 3. P. tenuicaulis. 



Erect, slender, 1-2 ft. Leaves filiform. Lateral petals with 



erect lateral tooth or 2-M 4. P. sparsiflora. 



Forking or diffuse, 3-24 in. Leaves linear to obovate-elliptical 

 obtuse. Flowers rcflexed in dense strobiliform heads, the lower 

 often axillary 5, p . arenaria. 



Erect or decumbent. Leaves oval or lanceolate, acute. Racemes 



2-4 in. Wings very obtuse, 5-3-ncrved 7. P.persicariafolia. 



Racemes lateral. 



Ascending or diffuse. Leaves linear or oblong, obtuse. Flower3 



fascicled or racemes much shorter than leaves, pubescent . . 6. P. trijlora. 



Erect or decumbent. Leaves oval or lanceolate, acute. Racemes 



2-4 in. or lower congested. Wings very obtuse, 5-3-nerved . 7. P.persicariafolia. 



Wiry, suffrutescent. Leaves oblanceolate, obtuse. Racemes very 



short. Wings broadly ovate with numerous looping nervures . 8. P. Senensis. 



Shrubby, about 6 in. Leaves rather rigid, elliptical, mucronulate, 

 reticulate. Racemes few-flowered, extra-axillary. Wings ellip- 

 tical, narrower than capsule .' 9. P. Myrtillopsis. 



(Compare P. arenaria.) 



* Bracts caducous. "Racemes terminal. 



(Compare P. Gomesiana.) 



Strophiole conspicuous. 



Erect or ascending. Leaves linear or oval, apiculate. Lateral 



petals orbicular, nnguiculate 10. P. abyssinica. 



Leafy herb of about 6 in. Leaves large, obovate-elliptical, f-U 



in. broad. Wings deciduous 12. p. Mannii. 



Strophiole obsolete. 

 Depressed, wiry. Leaves oblanceolate obtuse or retuse. Lateral 



petals obovate-cuneale 12. P. irregularis. 



Filiform. Leaves filiform. Wings elliptical, equalling elliptical' 



obtuse capsule 13 p, pa ludosa. 



Filiform. Leaves \ in., lanceolate or linear. Flowers rather 

 dense. Wings roundish-elliptical, much longer than ovate-or- 

 bicular, nearly entire capsule 14. P. capillaris. 



Two to four inches. Leaves linear. Flowers rather' crowded. 

 Wmgs nearly orbicular. Capsule orbicular, emarginate or sub- 



ti . e ". ' \ 15. P. mkrantha. 



15. Anterior sepals connate. 



Wing-sepals deciduous. 

 Shrnb. Leaves acicular (or narrow-linear), fascicled . . . . 16. P. acicularu. 

 Slender erect annual. Leaves filiform. Flowers rather distant, 



in slender racemes . ^. P. guineensis. 



Wing-sepals persistent. 



Branches slender. Leaves narrow-linear or filiform. Flowers in 



terminal erect racemes. Carina cristate . . 18 P rarifofia. 



Erect, slender. Leaves linear, narrowed to each end,' membra- 

 nous. Racemes terminal. Crest . . . 19 P Petitiana. 



Wiry undershrub 1 ft or less. Leaves linear 'or 'obl'anceol'ate,' 

 pointed or mucronulate. Racemes terminal or extra-axillary 

 often very short . 20 P. EuiUentis. 



1. P. Gomesiana, Welw. in Linn. Trans, xxvii. (ined.) t. 4. 



An 



