PolygonumJ] cxix. POLYGON ACE^:. (J. D. Hooker.) 53 



filaments short. Nut oblong-ovate, 3-gonous, black, shining, about as long as the 

 perianth. The larger Tibetan specimens are the size of small Siberian ones; the 

 smallest Tibetan are quite minute. Eaten in Tibet. 



66. P. acaule, HooJc.f. Ic. PJ. t. 1490 B ; dwarf, dioecious, hirsute, 

 leaves all radical sessile oblong obtuse, flowers in an erect narrow terminal 

 peduncled panicle bearing short lateral dense-fid . branches, perianth very 

 small subglobose or campanulate, nut 3-gonous exceeding the perianth. 

 Polyg. n. 70, Herb. Ind. Or. R.f.SfT. 



SIKKIM HIMALAYA; Donkia and Kangra lama passes, on the Tibetan frontier, 

 alt. 17,000 ft., J. D. H, 



RootstocJc very stout, ending below in a thick woody tap-root, simple or divided 

 above into two or more very short branches clothed with membranous stipules. 

 Leaves many, spreading or erect, 1 in. long or less, coriaceous, hirsute on both sur- 

 faces or beneath only, nerves above impressed ; stipules glabrous or hirsute. Panicle 

 with its peduncle 2-4 in. high ; peduncle stout, naked (rarely with a single leaf), and 

 rachis hirsute ; branches - in. long, horizontal or drooping ; flowers crowded, often 

 drooping. Perianth ^ in. long, segments unequal oblong or rounded. Stamens 8, 

 minute and imperfect in the female flower ; filaments short. Styles 3, short, free. Nut 

 (unripe) oblong, trigonous, base contracted (as if stipitate). A remarkable species, 

 evidently of this 'section, but very unlike any other. 



67. P. nummularifolium, Meissn. in DC. Prodr. xiv. 1. 127; very 

 small, stems creeping and forming matted tufts, nodes hairy, leaves 

 -fo~<r in. petioled orbicular ciliate, stipules tubular hairy, clusters many-fid., 

 flowers pedicelled subdioecious ?, sepals orbicular, stamens 5, nut orbicular 

 biconvex. 



ALPINE HIMALAYA; on rocks, Kumaon, JSdaeworth, alt. 14-15,000 ft., Sfracheg 

 & Winterbottom ; Kashmir, alt. 13,400ft., Clarice; Sikkim, alt. 14-17,000 ft., 

 J. D. H. 



Perennial. Stems one inch or two long, internodes short. Leaves rather fleshy, 

 brown when dry ; petiole as long as the blade; stipules truncate. Flowers numerous 

 and large for the size of the plant, white or bright pink, males largest. Stamens 

 very short ; anthers purple. Nut included, smooth, pale 4 stigmas 2 minute subsessile. 

 The smallest species of the genus, and very unlike any other, referred by Meissner 

 to Cephalophilon, but the flowers are not capitate, and the minute styles are 

 quite free. 



Sect. XI. TINIABIA, Meissn. Twining unarmed annuals or with peren- 

 nial roots. Leaves broad, cordate or hastate; stipules tubular, eciliate. 

 Flowers axillary, or in slender racemes ; bracts short, not tubular. Perianth 

 5-partite, 3 outer sepals at length enlarged and dorsally winged. Stamens 

 8 without interposed glands. Styles 3, very short, stigmas capitate or 

 fimbriate. Nut 3-gonous ; cotyledons accumbent. 



68. P. Convolvulus, Linn.:, Boiss. Fl. Orient, iv. 1032; annual, 

 prostrate or twining, leaves sagittate-cordate, flowers in axillary clusters 

 and terminal cymes, 3 outer sepals obtusely keeled rarely winged, pedicels 

 short jointed above the middle. Meissn. in DC. Prodr. xiv. 1. 135; Fl. 

 Dan. t. 744. 



WESTEEN HIMALAYA ; Kunawur, Eoyle. WESTEEN TIBET ; Nubra, Thomson.-' 

 DISTEIB. N. and W. Asia, Europe, N. Africa. 



Annual. Stem 1-4 ft., angles puberulous. Leaves l|-4 in., gradually acuminate, 

 angles obtuse or acute, puberulous beneath ; petiole slender ; stipules short. Racemes 

 suberect, short, slender, pedicels recurved. Perianth-segments obtuse, green with 

 white margins, in. in fruit. Nut black, ', in. long. 



