510 cm. CIIEXOPODIACE,!:. 



Boussingaidtia haseUokles, H. B. & K. Nov. Gen. et Sp. v. 7 (1825) 

 p. 199, t. 045 bis. An ornamental climber, a native of S. America, with 

 perennial roots and annual twining stems which produce tubercles by 

 which the plant may be propagated. It has alternate smooth, shining, 

 elliptic leaves and produces during June and July racemes of numerous 

 small white fragrant flowers. The plant thrives well in Poona in a rich 

 soil on a slightly shaded trellis. AV'oodr. Gard. in lud. ed. 5, p. 427. 



Okder civ. POLYGONACE^. 



Herbs, rarely shrubs, very i-arely trees. Leaves alternate (rarely 

 opposite), entire or serrulate; stipules (ocrece) scarious or membranous, 

 usually sheathing the stem. Flowers usually small, hermaphrodite 

 (rarely polygamous), regular, solitary or in small bracteate clusters in 

 spike-like inflorescence ; pedicels usually articulate. Perianth simple, 

 inferior; lobes or segments 3-6, free or connate, persistent, imbricate 

 in bud. Stamens 5-8 (rarely more or fewer), opposite the perianth- 

 segments ; filaments fiUform, free or connate below in a ring ; anthers 

 2-celled, usually versatile. Disk annular, glandular or 0. Ovary 

 superior, sessile, free, l-celled,[2-4-gonous ; ovule solitary, orthotropous, 

 sessile or at the end of a distinct funicle ; styles 3 or 2 (rarely 4), often 

 short, free or somewhat connate ; stigmas capitate, peltate or fimbriate. 

 Pruit a small hard, usually 3 (rarely 4)-gonous or biconvex nut enclosed 

 in the perianth. Seed erect ; testa membranous ; albumen copious, 

 floury, sometimes ruminate ; embryo lateral, straight, curved or some- 

 times peripheric; radicle superior. — Distrib. Genera 30; species about 

 600, chiefly in temperate regions. 



Pei-iaath 3-5-cleft; stigmas capitellate. 

 Shrubs. 



Stamens 12-18; styles 4 1. Calligoniim. 



StameusS; styles 3 -• Pteropyrim. 



Herbs (except Polygonum chiiicn^c whicli is an under- 



shrub); stamens 8 or fewer ■ 3. Polygo.num. 



Perianth ti-cleft, the 3 inner segments nuiih enhirged in fruit ; 



stigmas fimbriate •• 4. Ru.mex, 



1. CALLIGONUM, Linn. 

 Eigid, much-branched shrubs. Leaves alternate, narrowly linear or 

 subulate, sometimes very small or almost obsolete; stipules short, 

 membranous. Flowers hermaphrodite, solitary or few, loosely clustered, 

 ocreate ; pedicels short ; bracteoles 0. Perianth 5-partite ; segments 

 flat. Stamens 12-18. Ovary 4-gonous, the angles variously crested, 

 ■winged, echinate or setose. Seed oblong, terete or 4-gonous ; testa 

 thin; embryo central, straight; cotyledons narrow. — Distkib. Species 

 2.Q, in dry or sandy regions of N. Africa, AVestern or Central Asia. 



1. Calligonum polygonoides, Linn. Sp. PZ. (1753) p. 530. An 

 almost leafless shrub ; branches terete, pale, glabrous, the internodes 

 1-14 in. long; flowering branchlets slender; stipules short, mem- 

 branous, cup-shaped, obliijuely truncate and produced upwards at one 

 side. Flowers pinkish, fascicled in the axils of the ocreae ; pedicels 

 J i_ in. Ion"'. Perianth about }, in. long, divided about jj the way 



J (5 1 II t> ' 



