Polygonum.] cxix. POLYGONACE^:. (J. T). Hooker.) 29 



flowers sessile almost concealed by the stipules, sepals narrower outer acute, nut 



t T ' 2 in. P. Dryandri,;TFa. Cat. 1691/5, from Prome.From Bengal (Griffith, 

 w Distrib. 4098) to Garwhal, Banda, Bombay, Scinde, Guzerat and Prome. 

 Also in Africa. This is a short crowded leaved form allied to indica, and differs from 

 Griffithii in its stoutness and narrower longer leaves, which are not so covered by the 

 stipules. 



Var. Griffithii ; branches excessively numerous from the root very slender flexuous 

 and quite naked below, branchlets very slender with the internodes so close that they 

 look woolly from the crowded fimbriate and crinite stipules, leaves shorter than the 

 stipules -j'fp^ in. orbicular or broadly obovate flat apiculate, flowers subsessile minute 

 hidden amongst the stipules, sepals rounded 2 outer apiculate, nut not seen. East 

 Bengal, Griffith (Kew Distrib. 4099, 4101); plains of N.W. India, Falconer (Kew 

 Distrib. 268). A very singular form, probably a modification of var. brevifolia, with 

 the bases of the branches buried in soil, and hence leafless and very slender. 



VAR. scindica; branches rather stout flexuous pale red brown with scattered 

 leaves below, branchlets slender, internodes very short woolly from the crinite stipules, 

 leaves ^-\ in. elliptic-oblong pale obtuse margins strongly recurved, flowers very 

 minute sessile sunk amongst the stipules, sepals narrow obtuse, nut half the length 

 of the perianth ^ in. long black. Scinde, Stocks. This has much the habit of some 

 common forms of the species, but the branchlets are crinite as in Griffithii, and the nut 

 very minute. No doubt it is only one of many forms to be found in Scinde. 



Var. elegans; black when dry, branches stout grooved smooth or scaberulous, 

 internodes longer or shorter than the leaves, stipules brownish fimbriate, leaves -| in. 

 upper as long as the lower linear-lanceolate acute or acuminate rarely obtuse margins 

 flat or revolute, flowers sessile or shortly pedicelled, sepals narrow 2 outer acute. 

 P. elegans, Roxb. Sort. Seng. 29, and Fl. Ind. ii. 291. P. prostratum, Roxb. mss. 

 P. ciliosum, Meissn. L c. 95. P. Dryandri, Wall. Cat. 1691/ 2 - From Bengal, 

 Assam and Bhotan to Nepal, Belgaum, Chittagong and Tenasserim. Usually rather 

 a large form, passing into plebejuin proper by insensible transitions. The dark 

 colour when dry, long narrow acuminate leaves and narrow sepals distinguish typical 

 specimens. It is well described by Roxburgh and figured in his unpublished Icones 

 (as P. prostratum). It occurs in Australia. 



Var. micranthema ; small, branches 28 in. very slender, stipules short, leaves 

 \ in. linear or linear-oblong obtuse base narrowed flat, upper crowded as long as 

 the often distant lower, flowers very minute pedicelled crowded in the upper axils, 



- D 



pedicel often as long as the perianth, sepals narrow obtuse, nut ^-55 * n - 



Wall. Cat. 1691/4, the upper left-hand specimen from Kumaon. P. micrau- 



themum, Franchet mss. Birma, Griffith ; Bengal and Silhet, Clarke ; Soane Eiver 



sands, J. D. JL.; Kumaon. This is only a small state of plebejum, into which 



it passes by insensible gradations. Franchet named it as above from Mongolian 



specimens. 



Var. Miqueliana', branches rather stout flexuous straggling dark when dry, 

 internodes longer than the leaves, stipules short 2-nerved, leaves | in: obovate or 

 oblong-obovate or linear-oblong obtuse flat, flowers 1-2 in the axils, pedicels slender 

 longer than the perianth jointed towards the base, sepals narrow all acute, nut -^ in. 

 P. Miquelianum, Meissn. PI. Hohenack., No. 1613, and in DC. 1. c, 92. Canara; near 

 Mangalor. A very distinct variety, but more material is wanted to judge of its 

 constancy. Meissner describes the stipules as 6-nerved, and the margins of the leaves 

 as revolute, neither of which is the case in my specimens. Nor do I know of many- 

 nerved stipules in any Indian form of P. plebejum except the following, which 

 singularly enough comes from Mangalor, has revolute leaf-margins, and all the sepals 

 acute. 



Var. polyneura; branches straggling dark when dry, iuteruodes longer or shorter 

 than the leaves, stipules 4-6-nerved, leaves ^ in. linear oblong acute or obtuse margins 

 recurved, flowers 1-2 in the axils, pedicels as long as the perianth jointed at the base, 

 sepals narrow acute, nut -^ in. P. elegans, Miquel in Herb. Hohenacker, No. 19 (not of 

 Roxb.}. P. Eoxburghii, var. longifolia, Meissn. 1. c. 93. Canara ; near Mangalor. ^ 



Sect. IV. AMBLYGONON, Meissn. Erect or ascending herbs. Leaves 

 large ; stipules with often a dilated mouth. Flowers in cylindric spikes or 



