28 CHENOPODIACEZ. 
and is much used as a pot-herb. Its original habitat as a wild plant 
is not known. It differs from the Genus Chenopodium in having 
1-sexual flowers, the males being crowded in terminal leafless spikes 
and the females arranged in axillary clusters. 
ATRIPLEX HORTENSIS, Linn.; F. B. I. v,6; Watt EZ. D.; Prain Beng. 
Pi. 880 ; Cooke Fl. Bomb., ii, 502.—An erect succulent annual, oiten 
tinged with red or purple. The flowers are l-sexual or polygamo- 
‘dicecious. The female flowers have no perianth, its place being taken 
by 2 bracteoles which become dilated and form a 2-valved covering 
to the utricle. The plant is extensively cultivated as a pot-herb in 
the plains of Upper India, as well as on the Himalaya up to 12,000 ft. 
In Europe it is often grown as a vegetable under the name of “‘ Orache”’ 
or “‘ Mountain Spinach.”? The origin of this species is not known 
for certain. 
A. NumMMvULaBIA, Lindl. is an Australian shrub known in that country 
as the “Salt bush.”’ Itis much valued as affording good fodder for 
sheepin the drought-affected areas, where it is able to hold its own 
during very dry seasons when nearly all other vegetation disappears. 
For this reason it was introduced into India about twenty years ago 
by the writer in order to test its value as a reclamation plant on the 
usar tracts of the Upper Gangetic Plain. ‘he results, however, 
proved to be unsatisfactory owing to the excessive moisture in that 
portion of India during the hot rainy season. 
XCII._POLYGONACEZE. 
Herbs or shrubs, very rarely trees. Leaves usually alternate, 
entire or sometimes serrulate ; stipules scarious or membranous, 
usually sheathing thestem. Flowers small or medium-sized, regular, 
usually 2-sexual, solitary or in axillary cymose clusters, pedicels 
usually jointed. Perianth inferior, simple ; segments 3-6, free or 
connate, imbricate in bud. Stamens 5-8, rarely more or fewer, 
opposite the perianth-segments. Disk annular, glandular or none. 
Ovary free, sessile, 1-celled ; styles 3 or 2, rarely 4, free or connate ; 
stigmas capitate, peltate or fimbriate ; ovule solitary, orthotropous, 
sessile or on a distinct funicle. Fruit a small hard nut, compressed 
or 3-gonous, rarely 4-gonous, enclosed in the persistent perianth. 
