414 Polygonacece. [Polygonum. 



A large scrambling shrub, semi-scandent over trees and 

 bushes by its very long divaricate branches which are cylin- 

 drical, slightly swollen at the nodes, glabrous and shining, 

 young parts glabrous ; 1. numerous, 2l-4h in., oval or ovate- 

 oval, shortly petioled, the uppermost sessile, suddenly tapering 

 to base, shortly acuminate, acute, entire, glabrous except on 

 prominent midrib which is hispid beneath, stip. very long 

 (often nearly 2 in.), membranous, very obliquely truncate, lan- 

 ceolate, acute ; fl. sessile, crowded in small globose heads 

 arranged in terminal corymbs, peduncles usually glandular- 

 pubescent, bracts small, acute, with stip. ; per.-segm. ovate, 

 subacute, erect ; fruit large, trigonous, closely invested by 

 fleshy persistent perianth. 



Moist region up to 7000 ft. principally in the montane zone, common. 

 Fl. all the year; pinkish-white. 



India, Burma, Malaya, China, Japan. 



The leaves have often a broad horseshoe-shaped blackish stain on the 

 lower part of upper surface. 



8. P. strig-osum, Br. Prod. 420 (18 10). 



P. peditnciilare., Thw. Enum. 246 (non Wall.). P. s/n\^osuin, var. 

 horridum, Trim. Syst. Cat. Ceyl. 72)- C. P. 3348. 

 Fl. B. Ind. V. 47. 



Stems 1-3 ft., erect, rather slender, angular, glabrous with 

 the angles below each node set with small recurved sharp 

 prickles; 1. 2-3 in., on short petiole, oblong-lanceolate, 

 acute or truncate, often slightly auriculate at base, subacute, 

 glabrous except slightly prickly margin, stip. ;^ in., split, with 

 finely scabrous parallel veins, obscurely ciliate, with a ring of 

 recurved prickles at base; fl. few, sessile, crowded, spikes very 

 small, J-g in., bracts ovate, ciliate, fruit not seen. 



Moist region up to 6000 ft., rare. Colombo (Ferguson) ; Kalutara ; 

 Nuwara Eliya. Fl. Aug., Dec; pink. 

 India, Burma, Malaya, China. 



9. P. praetermissum, Hk.f. in Fl. B. hid. v. 47 (1886). 



P. sirii^osum^ Thw. Enum. 246 (non Br.); Trim. .Syst. Cat. Ceyl. 71- 

 C. P. 2250. 



Fl. B. Ind. V. 47. 



Perennial with short horizontal stolons from lower nodes, 

 stems prcjstrate or ascending, rooting below, 12-18 in., 

 slender, glabrous with a few weak prickles below the nodes, 

 red ; 1. small, i 2 in., linear or oblong, strongly sagittate at base 

 with long obtuse lobes, obtuse at apex, glabrous, the lower 

 ones often oval with cordate base, petiole |-i in., stip. ^ in., 

 very obliquely truncate, not ciliate, slightly bristly; fl. small, 

 few, distant, on short ped., racemes or panicles leaf-opposed 



