114 cix. POLYGONACE.E (baker AND WRIGHT). [Polygonum, 



22. P. tumidum, Delile, Fl. yEgyiH. Illustr. 60, (uidMem. PI. SponL 

 Egypte, 12 ; Meisn. in DC. Prodr. xiv. U2 ; Dammer in Engl. Pfl. Ost- 

 Afr. C. 170. 



Mozamb. Dist. German East Africa: Unyamwesi and Karema, ex 

 Dammer. 



Also in Egypt. 



I have been unable to verify the first two references above cited, and do not know 

 whether any description accompanied the name. Meisner {I.e.) places this amongst 

 the doubtful species. 



3. RUMEX, Linn. ; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. PI. iii. 100. 



Flowers hermaphrodite or unisexual. Perianth-segments usually 6, 

 three inner much enlarged in fruit, three outer unchanged. Stamens 

 6, inserted at the base of the perianth ; filaments short ; anthers linear- 

 oblong. Ovary trigonous ; styles 3, spreading ; stigmas fimbriate ; 

 ovule solitary,' erect. Nut trigonous, included in the persistent 

 perianth. Seed similar in shape to the nut ; embryo on one side of the 

 endosperm, straight or curved ; cotyledons linear or oblong. — Leaves 

 alternate, often cordate or hastate ; ochreae membranous. Flowers in 

 whorls, forming leafy or leafless terminal panicles. 



Species about 100. Cosmoiwlitan, but most numerous in the temperate regions. 

 Leaves hastate or sagittate. 



Flowers in much-branched panicles. 



Leaves 8 in. long ; terminal lobe deltoid . . 1. R. ahi/ssinicus. 



Leaves 8 in. long; terminal lobe linear . . \. R. ab^/ssinicus, var. 



Leaves I5-2 in. long ; terminal lobe ovate . 2. R. maderentis. 



Leaves 1-1 i in. long ; terminal lobe linear . 3. R. EUenleckii. 



Flowers in leafy whorls 4. i2. hararensis. 



Leaves not hastate nor sagittate. 



Panicles small, diffuse ; flowers in scattered fas- 

 cicles. 

 A shrub ; leaves oblong or lanceolate . . 5. i?. nervosus. 



A herb ; leaves deltoid or ovate . . . Q. R. vesicarius. 



Panicles with a few long branches; flowers in dis- 

 tinct pseudo-whorls . . . . . 7. R. nepalensis^ 



1. R. abyssinicuSy Jacq. Hort. Vind. iii. 48, t. 93. Rootstock 

 perennial, 1 in. in diam. Stems annual, erect, up to 12 ft. high, 

 fistular, terete, reddish, glabrous. Leaves triangular or ovate, hastate 

 at the base, up to 8 in. long and 6 in. wide, glabrous or slightly puberu- 

 lous on the under-side of the nerves, thin ; petiole of lower leaves 4 in. 

 long, blood-red as are the midribs {Grant); ochreae 9 lin. long, 

 glabrous. Panicle terminal, much-branched, 1 ft. long ; branches 

 ascending ; flowers polygamous ; pedicels about as long as the perianth^ 

 slender ; bracteoles lanceolate, scarious. Perianth-lobes elliptic, | lin. 

 long, the 3 outer slightly narrower and more herbaceous than the inner, 

 eglandular ; the 3 inner increasing in fruit to 3 lin. long and 2J lin. 

 wide, cordate at the base, strongly reticulate. Stamens about as long 



