Victorian Plants. 171 



821. Flowers somewhat distant in the spikes. 



Nearly glabrous ; leaves almost lanceolar, glandular-dotted ; 

 stipular tube inflated, short-ciliolated ; spikes slender, 

 flaccid ; flowers green or reddish, glandular- dotted ; fruit 

 tri- or oftener bi-angular, granular-streaked, without 

 lustre. P. Hydropiper. 



Flowers closely crowded in the spikes ... ... 822 



822. Leaves glandular-dotted. 



Glabrous, tall ; leaves mostly broad- or elongate-lanceolar ; 

 stipular tube almost without cilioles ; spikes stout, some- 

 what paniculated ; flowers greenish or reddish, glandular- 

 dotted; fruit usually biangular. P t lapathifolium. 



Leaves without any glandular dots ... ... ... 823 



823. Nearly glabrous. 



Leaves mostly narrow-lanceolar ; stipular tube long-cilio- 

 lated; spikes slender, of ten somewhat paniculated; flowers 

 reddish; fruit bi- or tri-angular. P. minus. 



Appressed-hairy. 



Leaves mostly elongated-lanceolar, on very short stalks ; 

 stipular tube long-ciliolated ; flowers greenish ; fruit bi- 

 angular. P. subsessile. 



MUEHLENBECK.IA. 



824. Prostrate. 



Matted; leaves small, mostly from oval to orbicular; flowers 

 few together or solitary ; fruit-calyx often very succulent ; 

 fruit acutely triangular. M. axillaris. 



Erect or climbing or diffuse ... ... ... ... 825 



825. Leaves broad .. 826 



Leaves narrow ... ... ... ... 827 



826. Leaves firm, short-pointed. 



Climbing, tall; branchlets robust; leaves large, from 

 ovate- hastate to orbicular-cordate or some lanceolar ; 

 flowers mostly in interrupted spike-like racemes, rather 



