POLYGON ACEAE. 



33. Polygonum scandens L,. Climbing- 

 False Buckwheat. (Fig. 1351.) 

 Polygonum scandens L. Sp. PI. 364. 1753. 



Perennial, glabrous, stem climbing, 2-2o long r 

 rather stout, striate, branched, rough on the ridges. 

 Leaves ovate, acuminate, cordate at the base, i'-6' 

 long or the upper smaller, the larger long-petioled, 

 finely punctate, the margins scabrous; ocreae oblique, 

 smooth and glabrous; racemes usually numerous and 

 panicled, interrupted, leafy, 2 / -8 / long; flowers yel- 

 lowish-green, long-pedicelled; calyx 5-parted, the 

 three outer segments very strongly winged and decur- 

 rent on the pedicels, especially in fruit; stamens 8; 

 style almost none; stigmas 3 ; fruiting calyx 5" '-6" long, 

 the wings crisped, not incised; achene 2 // -2^ // long, 

 3-angled, rather blunt at both ends, smooth, shining. 



In woods and thickets, Nova Scotia to Ontario and the 

 Rocky Mountains, south to Florida, Nebraska and Texas. 

 Aug. -Sept. 



34. Polygonum dumetorum 1,. Copse or Hedge Buckwheat. (Fig. 1350.) 



Polygonum dumetorum L. Sp. PI. Ed. 2, 522. 1762. 



Perennial, glabrous, similar to the preceding spe- 

 cies, stem extensively twining, 2-i2 long, striate, 

 much branched. Leaves ovate or somewhat has- 

 tate, and sometimes inequilateral, acuminate at the 

 apex, cordate at the base, i'-2%' long, long peti- 

 oled, or the upper smaller and nearly sessile; ocreae 

 oblique, smooth; racemes mostly axillary, numer- 

 ous, much interrupted, leafy-bracted, 2 / ~5 / long; 

 flowers yellowish green, pendulous; calyx 5-parted, 

 the three outer segments winged or keeled and 

 much enlarged in fruit; stamens 8; style short, 

 3-parted; fruiting calyx ^ r '-^ ff long, the wings 

 nearly flat, not incised; achene oblong, 3-angled, 

 i ff long, inclined to be pointed at both ends, black, 

 smooth, shining. 



Prairies of Illinois and about St. Louis, Mo. Also in 

 the vicinity of Knoxville, Tenn. Naturalized from 

 Europe ? July-Sept. 



^W 



35. Polygonum cristatum Engelm. & 



Gray. Crested False Buckwheat. 



(Fig. 1352.) 



Polygonum cristatum Engelm. & Gray. Bost, 

 Journ. Nat. Hist. 5: 259. 1847. 



Perennial, scurfy, stem slender, twining, 2- 

 10 long, more or less branched. Leaves trian- 

 gular or ovate, I'-s' long, acuminate at the 

 apex, undulate, truncate or cordate at the base, 

 rather long-petioled; ocreae cylindric-funnel- 

 form; flowers in axillary simple or compound 

 often naked racemes x'-s'long; pedicels about 

 2^" long, jointed near the middle; calyx 

 greenish-white, 2 // -2^ // long, 5-parted to near 

 the base, the 3 outer segments keeled and at 

 maturity winged; stamens 8, included; style 

 none; stigmas 3; fruiting calyx 3 // -4 // long, its 

 wings incised; achene 3-angled, oblong, black, 

 smooth, shining, about \y 2 rf long. 

 Sandy woods and rocky banks, southern New York to Georgia, the Indian Territory and Texas. 

 Aug. -Oct. 





