358 



POLYGONACEAE (P.UCKWHEAT FAMILY) 



filaments broad at base; styles 3; cotyledons incumbent; albumen horny ^ 

 glabrous annuals, except nos. 1 and 2. 



Achenes conspicuously exserted. 

 Prostrate, maritime ; achene broadly ovoid-pyramidal. 

 Calyx-lobes petaloid, broadly obovate ; foliage nearly white . . . 

 Calyx-lobes subherbaceous, oblong ; foliage pale green .... 



Erect ; achene elongated, lanceolate-pyramidal 



Achenes nearly or quite included by the fruiting calyx. 

 Branches terete or nearly so. 

 Flowers small; sepals (normally 5) white or roseate, 1.3-1.8 mm. long; 

 pedicels included. 

 Erect, much branched ; leaves linear-oblong, slightly rigid ; flowers 



much surpassed by the bristle-like remnants of the stipules 

 Prostrate or rarely erect ; leaves not firm, bluish green ; flowers 

 mostly exserted beyond the hyaline flaccid torn stipules 

 Flowers larger, the pedicels exserted ; sepals (often 6) 2-3 mm. long. 



Leaves elliptical, yellowish green, obtuse 



Leaves lanceolate, acute • . . . . 



Branches rather sharply angled. 



Leaves strongly plicate ; flowers erect 



Leaves flat with revolute margins ; flowers nodding .... 



1. P. maritimum. 



2. P. Foicleri. 



3. P. exserttum. 



4. P.prolijioiunh, 



5. P. aviculare. 



6. P. erectum. 



1. P. ramosiissimum 



8. P. (enue. 



9. P. Do2iglasii. 



706. P. maritimum. 

 Flowering branch X % 

 Fruiting caly.x X 3. 

 Stem-leaf x 1. 



707. P. Fowlc-ri. 

 Upper part of stem 



Fruiting calyx X 3. 



1. P. maritimum L. Prostrate, very 

 glaucous, nearly white; leaves mostly 

 small, linear-oblong, very thick, usually 

 exceeding the short internodes ; stipules 

 silvery ; sepals broadly obovate, petaloid, 

 contracted at the base, the broad ro- 

 seate tips inclining to spread in fruit. 

 — Sandy sea-coast, Mass. to Fla. , local. 

 (Eu.) Fig. 706. 



2. P. Fowleri Robinson. Prostrate, 

 pale green; leaves narrowly elliptic, 

 about equaling the full grown inter- 

 nodes; sepals oblong, herbaceous \vith 

 white or roseate margin, not con- 

 tracted at the base, rather closely ap- 

 pressed to the achene. (P. Bayi Am. 

 auth., not Babington.) — Sea-coast, e. 



Canada and Me.; also Wash, to Alaska. Fig. 707. 



.'5. P. exsertum Small. Erect much branched annual, 3-8 

 dm. high ; leaves lanceolate, rather light or pale green, 1-3 

 cm. long, usually exceeded by the internodes ; sepals oblong, 

 green, normally 5, unequal, closely appressed to the base 

 of the much exserted chestnut-colored ovate-lanceolate achene, 



— Brackish meadows, N. B. to N. J. ; 



and on sand-bars and prairies. 111., Mo., 



and Neb. to the Saskatchewan. Fig. 



708. 



4. P. prolificum (Small) Robinson. 

 Erect or nearly so, much branched, 

 slightly rigid, 3 dm. high ; leaves linear- 

 oblong, obtuse or acute, firm, in a dried 

 state veiny ; stipules soon frayed to 

 bristle-like remnants surpassing considerably the small 

 sessile roseate o-parted flowers. (P. ramosissimum, var. 

 Small. )— Sea-shore, e. Que. to Va. ; also Mo., Neb., and 

 Kan. Fig. 700. 



5. P. aviculare L. Slender, mostly prostrate or ascend- 

 ing, bluish-green ; leaves lanceolate, (5-20 mm. long, usually 

 acute or acutish ; sepals hardly 2 mm. long, green with 

 piiikisli margins ; stamens 8 (rarely 5) ; achene dull and 

 minutely gran ular-stri ate, mostly included. — Common every- 

 where in yards, waste places, etc. (Eurasia.) Fig. 710 a- 



708. P. exsertum. 

 Fruiting calyx x S. 

 Stem leaf x %. 



709. P. i)ro]ificum. 

 Flowering branches 



xy,. 



