111. POLYGONACE.^. [1. Polygonum. 



1. P. plebejum, Br. Muniara, K. ; Muic', S. ; Raniphul, Vern. ; 



Indian Knot Grass. 



A diffusely branched prostrate herb, in some forms much resembling 

 the English P. aviculare, with usually many stems from the root, 

 varying from 2" to 18" in length at the time of flowering. Leaves 

 linear, linear-oblong or in the shorter ones obovate-oblong, •l-*7" 

 long, acute or obtuse, often with revolute margins. Stipules short 

 or longer than the leaves, fimbriate with excurrent nerves. Flowers 

 small, green to pink with green midrib, 3-4 or crowded in the axils, 

 under -V long, subsessile, sunk among the stipules or exsert. Nut 

 *06-'07" long, somewhat spindle-shaped, but sharply 3-quetrous, 

 brown, shining. 



A very common weed on banks, in waste ground, cultivated ground and pastures. 

 In all districts ! FL, Fr. mostly Feb.-May. 



Stems and branches grooved, smooth or scaberulous. In var. Grijfifhii very 

 short with very short internodes and appearing almost woolly from the very white- 

 fimbriate stipules. L. sometimes only "25" and under. Perianth lobes acute or 

 obtuse. 



The plant is eaten as a sag and it is also eaten by horses. The root appears to 

 be alwaj's annual or short and woody, whereas that of P. aviculare is long fleshy 

 and perennial and becomes a great pest in gardens and fields. 



Hooker in the F.B.I, enumerates 10 varieties of the plant according to relative 

 length of internode, length and shape of leaves, degree of exsertion of the flower, 

 acuteness of the tepals, etc. 



Gage {loe, cit.) suggests that vars. indica and hrevifolia form a second species, 

 var. Grijfifhii a third, and var. poli/ueiira a fourth species. The following 

 skeleton key based on his work is adapted accordingly : — 



A. L. linear or subulate, more than 4 times as long as broad or 



sometimes dilated upwards from a narrow base (pedicels 



short in pZe6e/«(H proper) a ])ie6e/«>» proper 



and var, /3 effusa. 

 Pi'obably in all districts. 



B. L. not 4 times as long as broad : — 



1. Fl. pedicels long, exserted well beyond the stipules . . var. )3 effusa. 



2. Fl. sessile or pedicels very little or not exserted : — 

 a. Stipules nerveless or 1-2-nerved : — 



Branches not very numerous. L. oblong. Stipules 



fimbriate, not woolly-looking vars. v indica and 



6 hrevifolia. 

 Chota Nagpur, common ! 



Branches very numerous. L. orbicular, apiculate with 

 a distinct median ridge. Stipiiles very crinite and 



woolly-looking var. e Griffithii. 



Behar, Kurz. ! 

 h. Stipules many-nerved. Nut polished .... wfiv. ^ polyneura. 



2. P. orientale, L. P. pilosum, Roxb. ; Bara-pani Mirich, Beng. 



A tall branching annual 3-10 ft. high with hollow bi-anches ; softly 

 pubescent, densely hairy or villous all over. Leaves ovate 3-8" by 

 1 •5-4-75" acuminate, lower usually cordate at base, closely nerved, 

 hairy or pubescent both sides, sec. n. 14-18, petiole 1-4". Stipules 

 short hirsute truncate ciliate with often dilated or recurved mouth 

 without long excurrent bristles. Flowers -1" subglobose, white, 

 green or pink in cylindrical racemes 2-5" long, •15--2" diam. which 

 are laxly panicled. Bracts '15" crowded strigosely tomentose and 

 ciliate. Stamens 7-8. Nuts orbicular, -12" diam., flattened with 

 rounded margins and rather concave faces, black, shining. 



775 



