POLYGONACEAE 379 
long bristles : racemes narrowly cylindric or almost linear, 3-6 cm. long, erect : ocreolae 
funnelform, 2.5-3 mm. long, oblique, fringed with short bristles: calyx about 2 mm. long, 
flesh-colored or sometimes greenish: sepals oblong or obovate, obtuse or acutish, glandu- 
lar: stamens 8: achenes 3-angled, about 3 mm. long, ovoid or broadly oblong, pointed at 
the apex, black, smooth and shining. [Polygonum hydropiperoides Michx. ] 
In swamps, New Brunswick to California, Florida and Mexico. Also in Brazil. 
13. Persicaria setacea (Baldw.) Small. Perennial, more or less strigose through- 
out. Stem erect, 6-11 dm. long, sometimes becoming nearly glabrous, enlarged especially 
above the nodes: leaf-blades oblong-lanceolate or narrowly lanceolate, 4-18 cm. long, 
acuminate at both ends, strigose on both sides, or occasionally nearly glabrous, except the 
midrib and nerves beneath, ciliate, inconspicuously but closely punctate: ocreae 1-1.5 
em. long, strigose, fringed with bristles often equalling the body in length : racemes erect, 
1-6 cm. long, almost linear, loosely flowered : ocreolae funnelform, slightly oblique, 2-2.5 
mm. long, fringed with bristles, some of the bristles exceeding them in length: calyx 
about 2 mm. long, white or pink: sepals ovate-oblong, obtuse : stamens 8 : achenes 3-angled, 
2-3 mm. long, broadly oblong, obovoid or oblong-ovoid, somewhat rhomboidal, thick- 
tipped at both ends, black, minutely granular and rather dull or slightly shining. — [.Poly- 
gonum setaceum Baldw. | 
In swamps, Missouri and North Carolina to Texas, Louisiana and Florida. 
14. Persicaria hirsüta ( Walt.) Small. Perennial, conspicuously hirsute with red- 
dish or brown hairs. Stem erect or decumbent and creeping, 3-9 dm. long, becoming 
woody below: leaf-blades lanceolate, 3-10 em. long, cordate or subcordate, acute at the 
apex, the upper ones acuminate, more or less hispid on both surfaces, ciliate, incon- 
spicuously punctate: ocreae 1-1.5 em. long, very hispid, fringed with many but rather 
short bristles: racemes erect, 1.5-6 cm. long, narrow or almost linear, rather loosely 
flowered, sometimes interrupted : ocreolae funnelform, oblique, 2 mm. long, acute, fringed 
with a few bristles: calyx 2.5-3 mm. long, white: sepals oblong, obtuse: stamens 8 or 
fewer: achenes 3-angled, 2 mm. long, broadly obovoid or nearly oblong, short-tipped, 
black, smooth and shining. [Polygonum hirsutum Walt. ] 
In swamps or wet soil, Florida and Georgia. Spring to fall.—A more slender form with erect stems 
2-4 dm. long, glabrous or sparingly strigose especially about the nodes, narrowly lanceolate, obtuse leaf- 
blades 3-6 em. long, 0.5-1 cm. broad, glabrous except the midrib and a few straggling hairs on the 
upper and lower surfaces. P. hirsuta glabréscens (Meisn.) Small, [Polygonum hirsutum glabrescens Meisn.], 
has been collected at Lake Jamony and Tallahassee, Florida. 
15. Persicaria punctata (Ell.) Small. Annual or perennial, mostly glabrous 
throughout. Stem erect or ascending, rarely creeping, 3-11 dm. long: leaf-blades varying 
from lanceolate to narrowly lanceolate, often oblong-lanceolate, 2-16 cm. long, acuminate 
at both ends, nearly glabrous, conspicuously punctate, often bearing a few short hairs on 
the midrib, ciliate: ocreae 1-1.5 cm. long, glabrous or sometimes sparingly strigillose, 
fringed with rather long bristles: racemes linear, 1-6 cm. long, erect, somewhat inter- 
rupted below, loosely flowered : ocreolae funnelform, 2.5-3 mm. long, fringed with a few 
short bristles, mostly imbricated : calyx greenish, about 2 mm.*long, conspicuously gland- 
ular : sepals oblong or ovate, obtuse, punctate : stamens 8: achenes lenticular and slightly 
gibbous, or 3-angled, 2-2.5 mm. long, broadly oblong, black, smooth and shining. [ Puly- 
gonum punctatum Ell.) 
In low places or swamps, throughout America except the extreme north and south. Also in the 
West Indies. Spring to fall.—Very variable: +The slender state P. punctata leptostáchya (Meisn. ) 
Small, has much-interrupted racemes and remote ocreolae. Two stout varieties are distinguished : 
- punctata robistior Small, inhabiting swamps on the eastern side of the American continent, has 
larger leaf-blades, and 3-angled achenes 3-4 mm. long ; P. punctata eciliàta Small, occurring in New Jer- 
sey, Tennessee and Mexico, has large leaves like the next preceding variety, naked ocreae, reddish 
purple inflorescence, and a 3-angled achene about 3.5 mm. long. 
16. Persicaria minor (Huds.) Opiz. Annual, dull-green, scurfy throughout. Stem 
lax, diffuse, 3-5 dm. long, sometimes procumbent and creeping : leaf-blades varying from 
lanceolate to linear or sometimes oblong, 2-8 cm. long, unsymmetrical and often scythe- 
shaped, ciliate: ocreae 1 cm. long, sparingly strigose and fringed with a few short bristles : 
racemes linear, 1-5 cm. long, lax, few-flowered, more or less interrupted at the base: 
ocreolae funnelform, 3 mm. long, somewhat oblique, fringed with short bristles : 
calyx greenish, 2.5-3 mm. long: stamens 8 or fewer: achenes lenticular, nearly 2 mm. 
long, broadly oblong, conspicuously biconvex or 3-angled and narrowly ovoid-oblong, 
black, smooth and shining. [Polygonum minus Huds.] 
Inlow grounds, Louisiana. Alsoin Chili. Introduced from Europe. 
17. Persicaria Hydropiper (L.) Opiz. Annual, glabrous, usually bright green. 
Stem erect or assurgent, 2-6 dm. long, lax, sometimes red or reddish : leaf-blades varying 
from ovate to oblong-lanceolate, sometimes lanceolate, 1.5-9 em. long, acute at both ends or 
