POLTaONACE.E (BUCKWHEAT FAMILY.) 695 



torus, connate. Styles subulate, approximated in a crown but free, 

 stigaiatose along their inner face. Fruit a flattened berry, composed of 

 indehiscenfc cells, with a fleshy pericarp. Seeds short - beaked, 

 crustaceous. Albumen central, embryo annular, peripheral. 



1. P. dccaiiclra, L. 2^ Pokewecd. Pigeon-berry. Garget. 

 Khutut-el-Ahdzah. Uumrali. Scibghah. 1 or more, f/lah'ous; stem usually 

 purplish. Leaves ovate to oblong-lanceolate, cuneate at base, short- 

 petioled. Flowers lierfect ; racemes or peduncles longer than petioles, 

 .1 to .15 long; stamens 10; berry 10-ribbed and 10-carpelled — Spring 

 and summer — Ditches and roadsides to subalpine and alpine regions. 



2. P. priiiiiosa, Fenzl. 2f 1 or more, 'pruino^e^ glaucescent. 

 Leaves fleshy, elliptical to elliptical-lanceolate, cuneate at base, nearly 

 sessile. Flowers dicecious ; racemes short-peduncled, .1 to .15 long; 

 stamens 11-16; carpels and grooves 5-9 — July and August — Middle 

 and subalpine zone of Amanus, and northward. 



Order LXXXV. POLYCJOXACEiE , Juss. (Buckwheat Family). 



Herbs or shTiibs with alternate leaves, and sheath-like 

 stipules (ochrem) above the swollen joints of the stem. 

 FloioeTs perfect, orjyolygamous-monoicious, ar dicecious, with 

 a more or less persistent calyx, and a 1-celled ovary contain 

 ing 1, erect ovule, and bearing 2-3 styles or stigmas — Feri- 

 gonium inferior, 3'6-cleft, imbricated in bud. Stamens 4- 

 16, inserted at base of calyx. Fruit indehiscent, nut-like, 

 naked, or enclosed in inner divisions of calyx. Leaves general- 

 ly entire. 



* Akenes ^A-angled-wingcd. Embryo in axii\ 



1. CALLIGONUM. j5 Desert plants j leaves minute 5 flowers minute, axillary. 



2. EHETJM. XC Coarse herbs j leaves orbicular, .2 to .8 broad 3 flowers in a large panicle. 



3. OXYRIA. 2f Tender alpine herbs ; leaves cordate-orbicular to reniform, .01 to .015 broad ; 



flowers in a spike-like raceme. 



** Angles of akenes wingless. Embryo lateral or peripheral. 

 4 EMEX. Fruitingperigoniumtriquetrous-urceolate,6-toothed, outer 3 teeth spinescent. 



5. RUMEX. If Valves of fruiting perigonuim 3, larger than outer 3, bract-like leaves, 



connivent. 



6. ATRAPHAXIS. -^ Fruiting perigonium *l-5-parted, the inner 2-3 leaves larger. 



7. POLYGONUM. If ^ Fiuiting perigonium 4-3-fid or -parted, leaves nearly equal. 



1. CALtLIGOXUM, L. Calligonum. 



Flowers perfect. Perigonium rotate, petaloid, not growing, lobes 

 5, plano-concave, spreading. Stamens 10-16, connate at base. Ovary 

 4-angled and -grooved; styles 4, free, short, stigmas capitate. Akene 

 4-'wingcd, or else echinatc especially at angles with 8-10 rows of 

 branching, intertwined hairs, or covered with intertwined hairs ex- 

 panded into a membrane enclosing the akene. Pericarp somewhat 

 woody, seed 4-grooved. Embryo straight in axis of fleshy albumen — 

 Much branched shrubs, the year old branches jointed, easily separated. 



