76 MEMOIRS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF BOTANY OF COLUMBIA COLLEGE, 
[PLATE 25. ] 
25. Polygonum setaceum Baldwin. 
Polygonum setacewm Baldwin; Elliott, Bot. 8. C. and Ga. 1: 455 (1817); Sprengel. 
Syst. 2: 253; Meisner, Monog. 79 and in DC. Prodr. 14: 103; Eaton & Wright, N. A. 
Bot. Ed. 8, 368; Chapman, Fl. S. States, 389; Darby, Bot. S. States, 489. 
Perennial, rather slender, more or less strigose throughout, at length woody below, 
Stem erect, 6-11 dm. long, strigose especially about the nodes, sometimes becoming 
nearly glabrous, simple or sparingly branched above, enlarged especially above the nodes ; 
leaves oblong-lanceolate or narrowly lanceolate, 4-18 cm. long, .7-5 cm. broad, acuminate 
at both ends, strigose on both sides or occasionally nearly glabrous, except the midrib 
and nerves beneath, ciliate, inconspicuously but closely punctate; ocreae cylindric or 
funnelform at branching nodes, 1-1.5 em. long, strigose, fringed with bristles often equal- 
ling them in length; inflorescence paniculate, usually quite simple, the ultimate divisions 
ending in spicate, more or less geminate racemes; racemes erect, 1-6 cm. long, almost 
linear, loosely flowered; ocreolae funnelform, slightly oblique, 2—2.5 mm. long, fringed 
with bristles, some of the bristles exceeding them in length; pedicels slender, at length 
3-5 mm. long; calyx about 2 mm. long, white or pink, five-parted to a little below the 
middle, the segments ovate-oblong, obtuse; stamens eight, included; style three-parted 
to below the middle, 1 mm. or less long, at length protruding beyond the calyx; achene 
triquetrous, 2-3 mm. long, broadly oblong, obovoid or oblong-ovoid, somewhat rhom- 
boidal, thick-pointed at both ends, black, minutely granular and rather dull or slightly 
shining. 
Missouri and North Carolina to Texas, Louisiana and Florida. 
