48 CXIX. POLYGONACEZ. (J. D. Hooker.) [ Polygonum. 
deflexed prickles beneath the nodes. Leaves 1-2 in., perfectly glabrous, margin not 
ciliate, basal lobes deflexed or decurved, rarely horizontal ; petiole 4-3 in., quite smooth ; 
stipules à in. Peduncles very slender ; racemes 3-1 in. long, with only 3-5 bracts, which 
are usually very distant, Sepals obtuse. Stamens 5. Style-arms slender, Nut pale 
(ripe?) punctulate.— The inflorescence of this species is very characteristic and constant, 
and its habit being the same wherever it has been found, I am constrained to regard 
itasa distinct species, though in doing so I contravene Bentham’s opinion as expressed 
in the “ Flora Australiensis.” My first knowledge of the plant was from Tasmanian 
specimens, which (Flora Tasmanica, i. 307) I referred to Brown’s P. strigosum, and 
doubtfully to Meissner’s plant of that name. I had then no opportunity of consulting 
Brown’s Herbarium, which was during his ‘lifetime closed to botanists. This being 
now accessible, I find that his strigosum is identical with the Indian plant subsequently 
published by Roxburgh as P. horridum. P. pretermissum is the P. muricatum var. 
glabrata of Wall. Cat. 1697/3, but not the P. glabratum of Meissner (in Wall. Cat. 
6285), which is referable to P. pedunculare. 
55. P. pedunculare, Wall. Cat. 1718; glabrous, stem 1-2 ft. ascend- 
ing unarmed or angles with recurved prickles, leaves petioled elliptic oblong 
or linear-oblong acute base acute sagittate cordate or truncate, margin 
smooth or most minutely scaberulous, racemes panicled oblong or globose, 
peduncles glabrous or glandular-hispid, bracts acuminate ciliate, nut orbi- 
cular biconvex included in the perianth-tube. Meissn. in DC. Prodr. xiv. 
1. 133, in part; Miquel FI. Ind. Bat. i. 1011. P. dichotomum, Blume 
Bijd.529?. P. glabratum, Wall. Cat. 6985. 
Assam, Masters. CaACHAR, Keenan. The Concan, Stocks, &c. NILGHIRI and 
Putney Mrs, Wight, &c. SINGAPORE, Wallich. MALACCA, Cuming, CEYLON, 
Walker.— DisTRIB. China, Java, Borneo, Philippine Islands, Australia. 
It is difficult to define this variable plant in words. It may be a form of P. strigo- 
sum, but is certainly as distinct as are the species of the Persicaria and other sections 
of this perplexing genus. The following very distinct forms are united by excep- 
tional ones, 
P. pedunculare proper; glabrous, stem quite smooth except a few reversed 
prickles at the nodes and sometimes on the angles, leaves 1-2 in. elliptic-lanceolate 
or -ovate acuminate at both ends, peduncles and bracts glabrous or glandular pubes- 
cent. Wight Ic. t. 1802 C. — Singapore, Cachar, Pulney Mts., Ceylon. 
Var. robusta; tall, stems stout glabrous unarmed or with reversed prickles at 
the angles and nodes, leaves 3-6 by 3-$ in. linear-lanceolate acuminate at both ends, 
peduncles and pedicels stout glandular-hispid, heads large. Wight Ic. t. 1802 B.— 
Nilghiri and Pulney Mts. 
Var. angustissima ; stem nearly smooth, leaves petioled or upper sessile 4-5 by 
i-i in. narrowly linear-lanceolate acuminate at both ends, peduncles very slender 
glandular-hispid, heads small, bracts glabrous. Wight Ic. t. 1802 A; Polyg. No. 49, 
Herb. Ind. Or. H. f. § T.—The Concan, Belgaum, &c., Ritchie, &c. ; Nilghiris. 
Var. nilagirica ; stem nearly smooth, leaves petioled 4-6 by 3-1 in. flaccid mem- 
branous, linear-oblong or oblong-lanceolate obtuse, peduncles very slender glandular- 
hispid, heads rather large, bracts subciliate—Nilghiri Mts., at Conoor, alt. 6000 ft., 
Clarke. 
Var. assamica; small, 6-10 in. high, stem nearly smooth, leaves subsessile or 
shortly petioled 1-2 by 4—4 in. linear-lanceolate acute with an acute base or linear- 
oblong and obtuse with a contracted hastate base, peduncles very slender sparsely ` 
glandular-hispid, heads very small few-fld., bracts subhispid.—Assam, Masters ; 
Jynteapore, Clarke.—This approaches in habit P. pretermissum. 
Var. glabrata ; tall, 12-18 in., stem nearly smooth except a few reversed bristles 
at the nodes, leaves linear-oblong 2-3 by i—14 in. base rounded and truncate, 
peduncles and heads as in var. assamica. P. glabratum, Meissn. in Wall. Cat. 
6285.— Silhet. 
