Polygonum.] polyqonacejj. 289 



cordate, acuminate, 4 to 6 in. long. Spikes continuous, rather slender, 1£ to 

 2 in. long, paniculate. Stamens usually 7. Style 2-cleft. Nut flat. Em- 

 bryo curved, at right angles with the cotyledons, not parallel with them as in 

 all the preceding species. 



Hongkong, Champion, Hance. Common in India, from Ceylon and the Peninsula to the 

 Archipelago, extending also into Africa and Australia, and northward to Japan, but in many 

 places cultivated as an ornamental plant. 



8. P. chinense,izVm.; Meisn. in DC. Prod. xiv. 130; Wight, Ic. t. 1806. 

 A weak, erect or half-climbing, dichotomously branched perennial, glabrous or 

 nearly so. Stipules sheathing and scarious, but with the addition of short, 

 reniform, green appendages at the base of the petiole. Leaves ovate or ob- 

 long, shortly acuminate, 2 to 3 in. long. Mowers in little globular heads, 

 forming dichotomous, corymbose panicles ; the branches and pedicels glandu- 

 lar-pubescent, with broad bracts at their base. Stamens usually 7. Styles 

 3-cleft. Nut triangular. 



In ditches, Hinds and others. Very common in India, from Ceylon and the Peninsula 

 to the Archipelago. 



9. P. perfoliatum, Linn. ; Meisn. in DC. Prod. xiv. 132. A glabrous, 

 slender climber, armed with small recurved prickles on the young stems and 

 petioles. Stipules leafy, orbicular, and spreading. Leaves on long petioles, 

 nearly triangular or broadly hastate, more or less peltate, 1 \ to 2 in. broad. 

 Spikes solitary, on long peduncles, slender but continuous, about 1 in. long, 

 with an orbicular, leafy bract at their base. 



Hongkong, Hance, Wright. Dispersed over various parts of India from Nepal to Java 

 and northwards to China, Mantchuria, and Japan. 



Order LXXXIX. LAURINEJE. 



Perianth herbaceous, with 6 or rarely fewer divisions, imbricate in the bud, 

 in 2 series or rarely wanting. Stamens usually as many or twice as many, 

 opposite the perianth-segments, either all fertile, or the 3 innermost reduced 

 to barren staminodia, or abortive. Anthers adnate, 2- or 4-celled ; the cells 

 opening by persistent valves turned upwards. Ovary free, 1 -celled, with 1 or 

 rarely 2 pendulous ovules. Style simple, with an entire, usually disk-shaped, 

 or shortly 2- or 3-lobed stigma. Fruit a 1 -seeded berry or drupe ; the per- 

 sistent perianth or part of it often enlarged under or round it. Seed without 

 albumen. Cotyledons large. — Trees or shrubs, with alternate or rarely irre- 

 gularly opposite leaves, usually entire or evergreen ; or in one genus leafless 

 twiners. Stipules none. Flowers usually small, in panicles, umbels, or la- 

 teral clusters. 



A considerable tropical Order, both in Asia and America, with a few African or Australian 

 species, and a very few penetrating into more temperate regions in the northern hemisphere. 



Leafless twiner 9. Cassyta. 



Trees or shrubs. 



Flowers hermaphrodite. Stamens 9, with 4-celled anthers, of which 

 3 reversed, with 2 glands at the base. Staminodia 3. 

 Perianth-segments breaking off in the middle, leaving a persistent 



6-lobed cup or disk under the fruit 1. Cinnamomum. 



U 



