POLYGONACEiE. 59 



very short; stigmas capitate. Fruit lenticular when there are 2 styles, 

 or trigonous when there are 3, enclosed in the persistent perianth 

 segments. Seed similar in shape to the achene; albumen copious, 

 mealy or horny; embryo eccentric or axial, in the former case with 

 the cotyledons narrow, in the latter with the cotyledons large and 

 foliaceous. 



Annual or perennial herbs, rarely undershrubs, with alternate, entire 

 or serrulate leaves with ochreate stipules. Pedicels articulated. 

 Flowers in the axils of ochreate bracts, arranged in spikes, or spikelike 

 racemes, or panicles, generally pink or white. 



The name of this genus of plants comes from two Greek words, ttoXvc (polas), 

 many, and yoj'v (gonu), a joint, from the numerous joints or knots in the S2)ecics. 



Section I.— FAGOPYRUM. Towmef. 



Stem branched, erect. Leaves triangular-ovate, cordate or hastate, 

 palmately nerved. Flowers fasciculate, the fascicles arranged in terminal 

 and axillary spikelike racemes disposed in a corymb or panicle. 

 Perianth not accrescent. Stamens 8. Styles 3, free. Embryo axial ; 

 cotyledons broad, foliaceous, palmately nerved, crumpled. 



SPECIES I.-POLYGONUM FAGOPYRUM. Linn. 



Plate MCCXXYI. 



Fagopyrum esculentum, Monch; Meisn. in D.C. Prod. Vol. XIV. p. 143. Bcib. Man, 

 Brit. Bot. ed. v. p. 286. Fries, Summ. Veg. Scand. p. 51. 



Annual. Stem erect, branched. Leaves ovate-triangular, acumi- 

 nate, cordate-sagittate or cordate-hastate, acute ; the lower ones stalked, 

 the uppermost sessile and amplexicaul. Ochreaa obliquely truncate, not 

 fringed. Flowers in lateral fascicles, arranged in short leafless stalked 

 racemes combined into terminal and axillary corymbs. Pedicels about 

 as long as the nut, recurved, articulated a little above the middle. 

 Perianth petaloid, 5-partite, withering in fruit. Stamens 8. Styles 

 3, very short. Nut oval-triquetous, acuminated, longer than the 

 perianth, smooth, dim, dark brown; the angles entire, not sinuated or 

 winged. Plant not glandular. 



In cultivated ground and waste places. Frequent in districts where 

 it is cultivated, scarce elsewhere, but having no claims to be considered 

 native, and not persistent in its stations. 



[England, Scotland, Ireland.] Annual. Late Summer, Autumn. 



Stem 9 inches to 2 feet high; branches spreading, absent in weak 



I 2 



