40 POLYGON ACEM. [RUMEX. 



2. RUMEX, Linn. ; Fl. Brit. Ind. v, 58. 



Perennial or annual herbs, rarely shrubs. Leaves mostly radical 

 or cauline, alternate ; stipules hyaline ochreate, often disappearing 

 with age. Flowers 2 -sexual or monoecious, in axillary clusters or 

 in whorls arranged in simple or panicled racemes. Perianth- 

 segments 6, rarely 4 ; inner accrescent, entire or toothed, midrib 

 often enlarged or tubercled. Stamens 6, filaments short, anthers 

 oblong. Ovary 3-gonous, styles 3, stigmas fimbriate. Fruit a 

 small nut. enclosed in the usually enlarged inner perianth- 

 segments, angles acute. Seed erect, embryo lateral, nearly straight, 

 cotyledons linear or oblong. Species about 140, in all temperate 

 and in many tropical regions. 



Flowers 2-sexual ; inner fruiting sepals coriaceous ; 

 styles terminal ; leaves never hastate : 



Inner fruiting sepals with narrow margins and 

 few or no teeth : 



Leaves gradually narrowed into the petioles, 

 tips usually acute ; flowers distinctly 

 stalked ; inner fruiting sepals brownish- 

 yellow (R. maritimus). 



Leaves cordate at the base and with a contrac- 

 tion just above it, tips always obtuse ; 

 flowers shortly stalked ; inner fruiting sepais 

 much longer and almost black . . . 1. R. nigricans. 



Inner fruiting sepals with wide much-toothed 

 wings : 



Teeth of wings not hooked . . . . 2. R. dentatus. 

 Teeth of wings usually hooked . . . 3. B. nepalensis. 



Flcwers 1-sexual or polygamous ; inner fruiting 

 sepals membranous ; styles from the angles 

 of the ovary ; leaves hastate . . . ( E. liastatus}. 



1. K. nigricans, Hook, /. in F. B. I. v, 59 ; Prain Beng. PI. 888. 



An erect annual, f-lj ft. high. Leaves linear- oblong, obtuse, contracted 

 above the cordate base, margins often waved or crisped. Flowering 

 branches rigid, spreading, with or without leaves. Flowers shortly 

 pedicelled, densely crowded in globose distant whorls or confluent 

 heads. Perianth enlarging in fruit, nearly black ; inner sepals large 



