48 cxix. POLYGONACEJE. (J. D. Hooker.) [Polygonum. 



deflexed prickles beneath the nodes. Leaves 1-2 in., perfectly glabrous, margin not 

 ciliate, basal lobes deflexed or decurved, rarely horizontal ; petiole J-j in., quite smooth ; 

 stipules i in. Peduncles very slender ; racemes -1 in. long, with only 3-5 bracts, which 

 are usually very distant. Sepals obtuse. Stamens 5. Style-arms slender. Nut pale 

 (ripe ?) punctulate. The inflorescence of this species is very characteristic and constant, 

 and its habit being the same wherever it has been found, I am constrained to regard 

 it as a distinct species, though in doing so I contravene Bentham's opinion as expressed 

 in the " Flora Australiensis." My first knowledge of the plant was from Tasmanian 

 specimens, which (Flora Tasmanica, i. 307) I referred to Brown's P. strigosum, and 

 doubtfully to Meissner's plant of that name. I had then no opportunity of consulting 

 Brown's Herbarium, which was during his lifetime closed to botanists. This being 

 now accessible, I find that his strigosum is identical with the Indian plant subsequently 

 published by Roxburgh as P. horridum. P. prcetermissuni is the P. muricatum var. 

 glabrata of Wall. Cat. 1697/3, but not the P. glabratum of Meissner (in Wall. Cat. 

 6285), which is referable to P. pedunculare. 



55. P. pedunculare, Wall. Cat. 1718 ; glabrous, stem 1-2 ft. ascend- 

 ing unarmed or angles with recurved prickles, leaves petioled elliptic oblong 

 or linear-oblong acute base acute sagittate cordate or truncate, margin 

 smooth or most minutely scaberulous, racemes panicled oblong or globose, 

 peduncles glabrous or glandular-hispid, bracts acuminate ciliate, nut orbi- 

 cular biconvex included in the perianth-tube. Meissn. in DC. Prodr. xiv. 

 1. 133, in part-, Miguel FL Ind. Sat. i. 1011. P. dichotomum, Blume 

 Bijd. 529 ?. P. glabratum, Wall. Cat. 6285. 



ASSAM, Masters. CACHAE, Keenan. The CONCAN, Stocks, &c. NILGHIEI and 

 PTTLNEY MTS., Wight, &c. SINGAPOEE, Wallich. MALACCA, Cuming. CEYLOX, 

 Walker. DISTEIB. China, Java, Borneo, Philippine Islands, Australia. 



It is difficult to define this variable plant in words. It may be a form of P. strigo- 

 sum, but is certainly as distinct as are the species of the Persicaria and other sections 

 of this perplexing genus. The following very distinct forms are united by excep- 

 tional ones. 



P. pedunculare proper j glabrous, stem quite smooth except a few reversed 

 prickles at the nodes and sometimes on the angles, leaves 1-2 in. elliptic-lanceolate 

 or -ovate acuminate at both ends, peduncles and bracts glabrous or glandular pubes- 

 cent. Wight Ic. t. 1802 C. Singapore, Cachar, Pulney Mts., Ceylon. 



Var. robusta; tall, steins stout glabrous unarmed or with reversed prickles at 

 the angles and nodes, leaves 3-6 by -f in. linear-lanceolate acuminate at both ends, 

 peduncles and pedicels stout glandular-hispid, heads large. Wight Ic. t. 1802 B. 

 Nilghiri and Pulney Mts. 



Var. angustissima ; stem nearly smooth, leaves petioled or upper sessile 4-5 by 

 5 in. narrowly linear -lanceolate acuminate at both ends, peduncles very slender 

 glandular-hispid, heads small, bracts glabrous. Wight Ic. t. 1802 A ; Polyg. No. 49, 

 Herb. Ind. Or. H.f. Sf T. The Concan, Belgaum, &c., Ritchie, &c. ; Nilghiris. 



Var. nilagirica ; stem nearly smooth, leaves petioled 4-6 by f-1 in. flaccid mem- 

 branous, linear-oblong or oblong-lanceolate obtuse, peduncles very slender glandular- 

 hispid, heads rather large, bracts subciliate. Nilghiri Mts.. at Conoor, alt. 6000 ft.. 

 Clarice. 



Var. assamica ; small, 6-10 in. high, stem nearly smooth, leaves subsessile or 

 shortly petioled 1-2 by ^-J in. linear-lanceolate acute with an acute base or linear- 

 oblong and obtuse with a contracted hastate base, peduncles very slender sparsely 

 glandular- hispid, heads very small few-fld., bracts subhispid. Assam, Masters; 

 Jynteapore, Clarke. This approaches in habit P. prcetermissum. 



Var. glabrata tall, 12-18 in., stem nearly smooth except a few reversed bristles 

 at the nodes, leaves linear-oblong 2-3 by | | in., base rounded and truncate, 

 peduncles and heads as in var. assamica. P. glabratum, Meissn. in Wall. Cat. 

 6285. Silhet. 



