Polygala.] xv . polygale^ (oliver). 129 



persistent. Wing-sepals oval or obliquely elliptical, pubescent, with a prin- 

 cipal median often broadly herbaceous nerve, and faint looping and divergent 

 lateral ones. Lateral petals obovate to ovate. Capsule ovate-elliptical to 

 obovate, emarginate, pubescent, scarcely winged, shorter than the wing- 

 sepals.— P. Vahliana, DC. Prod. i. 326. P. erioptera, DC. 1. c. ; Deless. 

 «. in. t. 15. P. obtusata, DC. 1. c. P. oligantha, Rich. Fl. Abyss, i. 38. 

 r.retnsa and P. nubica, Hochst. in PI. Kotschy, Nub. P. linearis, R. Br. 

 m halt, Abyss. App. 65. 



ar. o. diffusa. Leaves linear-oblong, usuallv obtuse. 

 Worth Central. Kouka, Central Africa, E. Vogel I 

 Nile Land. Kordofan, Kotschy 1 Nubia, Schweinfurth I 

 tower Guinea. Angola, Prov. Loanda, Br. Welwitschl 

 w. #. erecta. Leaves narrow-linear. 

 "Pper Guinea. Senegambia, Perrottet ! 

 ™"e Land. Kordofan, Kotschy ! Abyssinia, Schimper I 

 Also in the Cape Verde Islands. 



eneve the above to be forms of one widely-distributed species, extending east to India, 

 ""ere ft appears to be common. 



'•P. persicarisefolia, DC. Prod. i. 326. An erect or decumbent, 



usually branching annual, of 1-3 ft. Stem thinly pilose pubescent or pube- 



UI °us. Leaves membranous, oval to linear-lanceolate, acute acuminate or 



a ther obtuse, mucronulate, shortly hispid-pubescent or -puberulous, at least 



p. n v °ung, 1-31 i n . Jong^ i_i_9 ]f nes broad, subsessile or shortly petiolate. 



Otters in extra-axillary or terminal racemes or from the forks, growing out 



*-4 in. or the lower flowers fascicled in the axils of the leaves, which 



lup n exceed them. Pedicels capillary below, spreading, exceeding or about 



equalling the outer sepals. Bracts subulate, spreading or reflexed, persistent. 



"jg-sepals rotundate-ovate, obtuse, with 3-5 looping nerves, glabrous or 



eary S0) exceeding the quad rate-rotunda te, emarginate, narrowly-winged 



j'lolate capsule. Lateral petals abruptly narrowed, semi-hastate or hooked 



« the base inside.— Wall. PI. As. Rar. ii'. r i9. t. 184. P. sphenoptera, Fres. 



JJ Mus. Senck. ii. 274 (probably a stunted form, similar to a specimen in 



" e ™- Kew. from Abyssinia, Roth). P. Wallichiana, Wt. 111. i. 49. t. 22 A. 



^•Huartiniana, Rich, in Ann. Sc. Nat. Ser. 2. xiv. 263 ; Fl. Abyss. Atlas, 



» »' Sranulata, Hochst., and P. punctulata, Hochst. Rich. Fl. Abyss, i. 



fl **• fypericoides, Webb, Frag. Fl. iEthiop. 31 (a form with tufts of 



0wers fr °m the axils of the lower leaves). 



La * * <and " Abyssinia, Schimper! Schweinfurth! 

 °wer Guinea. Bumbo, Angola, Dr. Welwitsch ! 



^o*amb. Distr. Zambesi, Br. Kirk! 

 ^\^\\! ati ^° lia - Dec umbent. Leaves oval, penniveined, strigillosc-pubesceut on the veins 



(W * Ian 8 an ya Hills, 3000 ft., Br. Kirk ! 

 India m S- extra trc-]rical Africa, also iu the Himalaya and mountains of peninsular 



0r 8 ;. **• Senensis, Kloizsch in Peters Mossamb. Bot. 113.— A rather wiry 

 form • P ube ™lous herb or undershrub, 1-2 ft. high in the suffrutesceut 

 gji with straight, divaricate branches. Leaves oblanceolate to oblong, ob- 

 5b ° u Ccasion aHy somewhat pointed, puberulous, usually $-l\ i«- long, 2-4 

 ; 8 broad ; petiole \ line or leaves subsessile. Flowers m very short, 



v °l'. I. K 



