38-i POLYGONACESS. (BUCKWHEAT FAMILY.) 



sessile. Stigma capitate or many-cleft. Utricle inilchiscent, 1 -seeded, included 

 in the calyx. Seed vertical. Radicle ascending. — Woolly or hairy animals. 

 Leaves opposite. Spikes opposite, and terminating the naked peduncle-like 

 summit of the stem 



1. F. Floridana, Moquin. YVhitc-tomentose or woolly ; stem erect, sim- 

 ple or branched ; haves varying from linear to oblong; spikes ovate or oblong, 

 lengthening with age; bracts mostly blackish, shorter than the woolly calyx; 

 style short ; stigma capitate ; fruiting calyx round-ovate, compressed, toothed 

 along the margins, and minutely tubcrcled at the base. (Oplotheca Floridana, 

 Nutt.) — Dry sandy places, Georgia, Florida, and westward. July- Sept. — 

 Stem ',°-3 high. Spikes solitary, few, or numerous. 



Order 110. POLYGON ACEiE. (Buckwheat Family.) 



Serbs, shrubs, or (tropical) trees, with simple mostly alternate and 

 stipulate leaves, and perfect or dioecious flowers. — Calyx 3 - 6-cleft, or 

 3 - G-sepalous, persistent. Stamens 4-12, inserted on the base of the 

 calyx : anthers 2-celled. Ovary single, 1-cclled, with the solitary ortho- 

 tropous ovule erect from the base of the cell. Styles 2-3, distinct or 

 partly united. Fruit (achenium) lenticular or 3-angled, rarely ovoid. 

 Embryo mostly on the outside of mealy albumen, lladicle pointing 

 upward. — Stipules slieathiug, annular, or wanting. 



Synopsis. 



SUBORDER I. FOLYGONEiE. Involucre none. Calyx .".-.left or 

 5-SCpalous. Stamens 4-9 (mostly 5-8). Ovules sessile. Embryo 

 curved on the outside of the albumen, rarely straight in its centre. 

 Stipules Bheathing. 



» Calyx 5-sep.ilous, the inner sepals erect, mostly enlarged in fruit. 



1. BTJMEX Calyx green, often grain-bearing. Stigmas many-cleft. 



2. POLYGONELLA Calyx corolla-like. Stigma entire. 



• * Calyx 5-sepalous, the sepals all erect, unchanged in fruit, free from the nehenium. 



:;. POLYGON! M Bepals entire. Embryo curved on the outaide of the albumen. 



1 TITYSANELLA. Inner sepals fimbriate. Embryo straight at the side of the albumen. 



• • # Calyx ', -parted, the tube enlarged and fleshy in fruit, and partly united with the 



achenium. 

 f> COLOBA, Achenium ovoid or globose. Trees. 



Subordeb II BRUNNICHIEiE. [nvolucre none. Calyx 5-parted, 

 the tube enlarged and indurated in fruit Stamens 8. Ovule borne on 



a slender stalk. Embryo al the margin of the albumen. Stipules none, 

 i \M'in\. Pedicels wingi tin fruit Climbing shrubs. 



