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ORDEB LXXXV. POLYGONE.E. 



A large Order of herbaceous plants, containing only 3 genera which have woody 

 plants indigenous in India, viz., Calligonum, Polygonum and Rumex. 



1. CALLIGONUM, Linn. 



1. C. polygonoides, Linu. ; Braudis 372. Vern. Balanja, lerwaja, 

 tatuke, Trans-Indus ; Phok, phoy, Pb. 



A slow-growing shrub. Bark reddish grey, rough, peeling off in 

 long thin flakes; inner substance red. Most old stems are hollow. 

 Heartwood reddish brown, very hard. Annual rings distinctly marked 

 by a continuous belt of moderate-sized and large pores ; in the outer 

 portion of each annual ring the pores are small, in groups, scanty, often 

 joined by wavy lines of soft tissue. Medullary rays fine, numerous. 



Arid zone of Sind, the Punjab and Rajputana, Afghanistan and Western Asia. 



It is chiefly used for fuel, but twigs and branches are sometimes employed for the 

 walls and roofs of huts. The abortive flowers are swept up and eaten, either made 

 into bread or cooked with ghee. 



P 889. Multan. 



2. POLYGONUM, Linn. 



Contains several shrubs of the Himalaya, some with very handsome flowers, but 

 none of any importance, except the one described. Besides the shrubs there are a 

 large number of herbaceous plants belonging to this genus, many of them very common. 



1. P. molle, Don ; Gamble 63. Vern. Totnye, tuknu, patu-zwa, Nep. 



A large trailing shrub, with thin, dark grey bark and hollow stems. 

 Wood reddish white. Annual rings marked by a belt of moderate-sized 

 pores ; in the outer portion of each ring the pores are small, scanty, 

 often in groups. Medullary rays moderately broad, often in pairs, 

 irregularly distributed. 



Hills of Sikkim and Bhutan, from 5,000 to 8,000 feet. 



An extremely common, often almost gregarious, and scandent or straggling shrub. 

 The young shoots are pleasantly acid and are eaten like rhubarb. There is some 

 doubt about the name of this very common plant, but it is probably Coccoloba Totnea, 

 Ham., in Don. Prodr. Fl. Nep. 74. It has the enlarged succulent calyx of Coccoloba 

 round the fruit. 



E 2412. Kangbi, Darjeeling, 5,000 feet. 



3. RUMEX, Linn. 



1. R. hastatus, Don. Vern. Katambal, Jchaltimal, Jhelam ; Ami, 

 Chenab, Ravi; Malorigha, amla, Beas; Amlora, Sutlej; Almora, Kumauu. 



Generally an undershrub, sometimes a shrub. Woodl ight red, moder- 

 ately hard. Pores small, more numerous at the inner edge of the 

 annual rings. Medullary rays broad and very broad. 



North-West Himalaya from 2,500 to 9,000 feet, chiefly on rocks and dry hill-sides. 

 The leaves are acid and are eaten as sorrel. 



H 3048. Kot, Sutlej Valley, 2,500 feet. 



Atraphaxis spinosa, Linn. ; Braudis 373, is a thorny shrub of the hills of Afghan- 

 istan and Beluchistan belonging to this family. 



