XCVII. NYCTAGINES. 309 
in the hardened, mostly 5-ribbed base of the calyx.—DC. Pred. 
xl. p. 449. 
Tropical weeds, erect or trailing. Leaves opposite, mostly petioled. 
Flowers in irregular glomerules, rarely umbelled, small.—B. Burcheliii, 
Chois., occurs about Natal, ete. 
Orpver XCVIII. POLYGONEA. 
Flowers bisexual or polygamous. Calyx herbaceous or 
corolloid, 3-6-parted, persistent, often enlarging with the 
fruit, imbricate in bud. Stamens perigynous, definite, in the 
bottom of the perianth ; anthers 2-celled, splitting. Ovary 
1-celled, free, compressed or triangular ; ovule solitary, erect ; 
styles 2-3, free or more or less connate. Fruit an achene 
(nut), rarely berry-like, more or less enclosed in the perianth. 
Seed erect, albuminous ; radicle superior.—Herbs or shrubs, 
with sw ollen joints. hear es alternate, their bases clasping or 
sheathing, very generally dilated into a perfect sheath (ocrea), 
which is ‘membranous, truncate, entire or 2-fid, often ciliate at 
margin or torn. Flowers small. 
Calyx corolloid, 5-fid; stamens 8; anthers versatile ; 
stigmas capitate. 
Nuts 3-winged or crested. . . . .:.. L. Oxyeonum. 
Nuts not winged, compressed or 3-cor nered. 4, PoLyGonum. 
Calyx her baceous; 6-fid ; stamens 6; anthers basifixed ; 
stigmas pencilled. 
3 outer lobes of perianth in the fruit largest, pa 
ferous at the angles . . . . . 2. EMex. 
3 inner lobes of perianth largest, coloured or ‘veiny ; 3 
outer smaller, not spinous. . .. . . . . . 3. RUMEX. 
1. OXYGONUM, Burch. 
Flowers bisexual. Calyx funnel-shaped, with a short ovoid 
tube constricted above the ovary; limb corolloid, 5-parted, 
spreading, the lobes equal, oblong, acute, marcescent. Sta- 
mens 8, in the throat, equal, exserted; anthers versatile. 
Ovary 3-cornered ; styles 3, short, exserted, connate at base ; 
stigmas capitate. ’ Nut included in the calyx, with 3 membra- 
nous wings or suborbicular, emarginate at each end, the faces 
flat or furnished with a tooth expanding in a transverse line 
into a wing, the wings wider than the seeds, entire or apicu- 
late in the middle—DC. Prod. xiv. p. 38. 
Herbs, with the habit of Polygonum. Leaves pinnatifid or entire. Ra- 
cemes spike-like, terminal, leafless ; bracts sheathing.—5 species, Eastern. 
