32 cxix. POLYGONACE®. (J. D. Hooker) — [ Polygonum. 
Wall. Cat. 1683/3, not of Dou. P. bistorta, Gercke in Bot. Reis. Pr. 
Waldem. 135. 
ALPINE and SUBALPINE HIMALAYA, from Kashmir to Sikkim, &c. WESTERN 
TIBET, alt. 9-15,000 ft.—Disrris. Alpine North and Arctic Europe, Asia and 
America, 
` Rootstock woody, as thick as the thumb or less ; stem 4-12 in., slender. Leaves very 
variable, 1-6 in., coriáceous, sometimes pubescent or even tomentose beneath ; cauline 
sessile, erect, Spikes 1-4 in. long; bracts ovate, acuminate. Perianth very variable 
in size. Stamens included or exserted. Styles filiform,’slender, free and included or 
greatly lengthened and connate below. Nut very small, trigonous or biconvex.— 
Probably an Alpine state of P. bistorta. 
17. P. spherostachyum, Meissn. Monog. Polyg. 53, and in Wall. 
Pl. As. Rar, iii. 52, and in DC. Prodr. xiv. 1.125; root-leaves long-petioled 
linear or linear-oblong acute or obtuse crenulate base acute or obtuse, spikes 
solitary erect stout cylindric or capitate very dense-fld., flowers crimson 
drooping. Bot. Mag. t. 6847. P. macrophyllum, Don Prodr. 70; Bab. in 
Trans. Linn, Soe. xviii. 95. P. gracillimum, Spreng. Cur. post. 154. P. 
tenue, Don l. c. P. stenophyllum, Meissn. in DC.l.c. P. splendens, 
Klotzsch im Bot. Reis. Pr. Wald. t. 88. P. affine, var. angustifolium, 
Wall. Cat. 1683. 
TEMPERATE and SUBALPINE HIMALAYA ; from Scinde to Sikkim, alt. 11-15,000 ft. 
WESTERN TIBET, Heyde. 
The dense spike of brilliantly coloured drooping flowers is the best character for 
this beautiful plant ; I am very doubtful about some of the synonyms cited for it and 
for P. viviparum, especially as to Don's angustifolium, tenue & gracillimum. 
18. P. perpusillum, Hook. f. Ic. Pl. 5.1490 A; very dwarf, glabrous, 
radical leaves subsessile narrowly linear obtuse margins recurved quite 
entire, scape very slender 1-leaved, flowers few capitate pendulous, sepals 4 
unequal, stamens 1-3 perfect, nut trigonous or biconvex. 
ALPINE HIMALAYA, alt. 12-15,000 ft.; Sikkim, J. D. H.;-Kumaon and Garwhal, 
Strachey & Winterbottom (Polyg. No. 39), Duthie. 
Subcespitose ; rootstock stout, clothed with membranous torn stipules. Leaves 
4-3 by jin. spreading; stipules 2-fid. Scape 4-1} in., erect; head 3—-} in. diam.; 
flowers 4; in. long, white or pink ; bracts crowded, obtuse; pedicel short, jointed at 
the top. Sepals broad, obtuse, very unequal, inner orbicular or oblong. Styles 2-3, 
nearly free, stigmas capitate. Nut pale, smooth.—A very singular little species, allied 
to P. spherostachyum ; variable in number of stamens, some of which are reduced to - 
capitellate filaments, and in the form of the sepals and fruit. 
19. P. paleaceum, Wail. Cat. 1684; root-leaves long-petioled linear- 
oblong or -lanceolate crenulate base very narrow, spike solitary erect stout 
cylindric, flowers crowded suberect pink. P. confusum, Meissn. in Wall. 
Pl, As. Rar. iii. 53. P. carneum, C. Koch in Linnea, xxii. 197. 
KnasrA Mrs. ; alt. 4-6000 ft., abundant. 
Rootstock as thick as the thumb ; stem 6-16 in., slender. Leaves 3-9 in., very 
variable in breadth, obtuse or acute, base always narrowed into the slender petiole. 
Spikes 1-2 in., flowers crowded; bracts ovate, acuminate, scarious.— Very nearly 
allied to P. bistorta, but the leaves are always very gradually narrowed to the base, 
not forming broad wings below the base as usual in the European plants. This species 
is omitted by Meissner in the Prodromus. 
** Perennial herbs with tufted or creeping branched rootstocks and 
erect simple rarely branched flowering stems bearing erect spikes. 
20. P. amplexicaule, Don Prodr. 70; glabrous, densely tufted, 
