Polygonum. octandria trigynia. 285 



OCTANDRIA TRIGYNIA. 



POLYGONUM. Schreh. gen. n. 677- 

 Calyx none. Corol flve-parted resembling a calyx. 

 Seed solitary. 



Sect. 5^y?6 two-cleft, ^eerf without angles. 



1. P. nutans. R. 



Annual, suberect, ramous. Leaves lanceolate. Sti- 

 pules not bearded. Corols four-cleft. Stamens five. 

 Styles two. Seed roundish, compressed. 



Several plants came up accidentally in the Botanic 

 garden at Calcutta, but from whence the seed came I 

 cannot be certain. 



Stem short, erect, soon dividing into many, first spread- 

 ing, then ascending branches, covered with red bark, 

 and maculated with still darker red, with a few short, 

 white, stifi" hairs, scattered over every part, as also over 

 the underside of the nerves of the leaves. Leaves short- 

 petioled, lanceolate, margins a little curled, and some- 

 what waved. Stiptiles membranaceous, smooth, trun- 

 cated, not ciliate. Racemes terminal, and from the ex- 

 terior axils, cylindric, nodding, most completely covered 

 with numerous, small, white flowers. Bractes somewhat 

 fringed. Corols four-cleft, opposite ; divisions a little 

 unequal. Stamens five. Styles two. Seed roundish, 

 pointed, much compressed, smooth. 



2. P. lanatum. R. 



Procumbent, with erect branches. Leaves linear-lan- 

 ceolate, woolly ; s/jea^^es lacerated. Corol four-cleft. 

 Styles two-cleft. Stamens six. Seeds round, compressed. 



Beng. Swet panee-mMrich. 



Annual, growing in ditches, &c. near Calcutta ; and 

 flowering during the rains. 



