Addisonia 21 



(Plate 235) 

 ACONOGONUM POLYSTACHYUM 



Kashmir-plume 



Native of central Asia 

 Family Poutgonaceae Buckwheat Family 



Polygonum polystachyum Wall. PI. As. Rar. 3: 61. 1832. 



The genus Aconogonum — Greek meaning stone-knee and referring 

 to the hard internodes of the stem — is here introduced to Addisonia. 

 It is a typical Asiatic genus of the buckwheat family with a few 

 outlying species in the mountains of Europe and northwestern 

 Nortk America. It is related to the well-known buckwheats, the 

 genus Fagopyrum, also strictly Asiatic types, of which there are 

 several kinds in cultivation. It differs from the buckwheats in the 

 habit of growth, the foliage, the inflorescence, and the fruits. 

 Aconogonum phytolaccijoliwn, which may some day be brought into 

 ornamental planting, is the most widespread American representa- 

 tive, ranging from Alaska to Idaho and California. 



For several generations the princes-feather, an "old-fashioned" 

 plant and a native of India, has been a favorite of flower gardens 

 especially in country districts. Within the present generation 

 several other members of the polygonum-group of the buckwheat 

 family have superseded it and have become very popular, and one, 

 the Japanese-buckwheat (Pleuropterus Zuccarinii), has become 

 naturalized in eastern North America. The plants just referred to, 

 except the princes-feather and the subject of the accompanying 

 illustration, are persistent strong-growing herbaceous perennials 

 suited for producing bold mass effects, screens, and borders. All 

 are conspicuous, especially when in flower in the fall of the year. 

 The Kashmir-plume produces a mass of deep green foliage in the 

 summer. Later in the season each branch is terminated by a plume 

 of white or pink flowers which show up in strong contrast against 

 the deep green background of the foliage. It grows well in a 

 variety of soils, but prefers low or moist places. 



The Kashmir-plume is a partly woody perennial with grooved 

 glabrous or hairy zigzag branches up to six feet tall. The leaves 

 are alternate, often numerous and approximate on the branchlets. 

 The blades are elliptic-lanceolate, nine inches long or less, long- 

 acuminate at the apex, sometimes caudate-acuminate, slightly 

 crisped on the edges, with numerous lateral veins, abruptly narrowed 



