SALSOLA.] CHENOPODIACEJE. 343 



stigmas 2-3 compressed or subulate. Utricle depressed, enclosed in the 

 stellately 5- winged much enlarged calyx. Seed horizontal, testa membra- 

 nous, albumen ; embryo forming a conical helix. DISTRIB. Saline 

 districts ; species about 40. ETYM. sal, from yielding alkalies. 



S. Ka'U, L. ; herbaceous, rigid, leaves spinous-pointed* 

 Sandy sea-shores from Caithness southd. ; Ireland ; Channel Islands; fl. July- 

 Aug. Annual, pubescent or scabrid, glaucous. Stem 6-18 in., erect or 

 procumbent, striped ; branches many, spreading, flexuous. Leaves |-1| in., 

 spreading and recurved, fleshy, ovate-subulate, f-amplexicaul. Flowers 

 1-3 ; bracts spinescent. Wings of fruiting perianth very variable, broad or 

 narrow, scarious, often rose-coloured. Seed brown, adherent to the pericarp. 

 DISTRIB. Europe, N. and S. Africa. N. and W. Asia, India, N. and 

 S. America, Australia. Formerly burnt for Barilla. 



ORDER LXII. POLYGON A'CE/E. 



Herbs, rarely shrubby. Leaves alternate, simple, quite entire or serru- 

 late ; margins revolute in bud ; petiole dilated ; stipules sheathing, scarious. 

 Flowers usually 2-sexual, pedicels jointed. Sepals 3-6, petaloid or her- 

 baceous, free or connate, persistent, imbricate in bud. Stamens 5-8, 

 rarely more or less, p'-rigynous or hypogynous, opposite the sepals ; 

 anthers 2-celled. Disk glandular annular or 0. Ovary free, ovoid, 3- 

 gonous or compressed ; styles 1-3, stigmas capitate or penicillate ; ovule 1, 

 basilar, orthotropous. Fruit indehiscent, hard, usually enveloped in the 

 perianth. Seed erect, testa membranous, albumen floury ; embryo straight 

 and axile, or lateral and curved, cotyledons various, radicle superior. 

 DISTRIB. Chiefly temp, regions ; genera 30 ; species about 600. AFFI- 

 NITIES. With Amaranthacece and Chenopodiacece. PROPERTIES. Eoot often 

 astringent or purgative ; some yield oxalic and malic acids ; the leaves or 

 seeds of others are alimentary. 



Sepals 5, subequal. Fruit compressed or 3-gonous, wingless..!. Polygonum. 



Sepals 6, 3 inner much larger. Fruit 3-gonous 2. Rumex. 



Sepals 4, 2 inner larger. Fruit winged 3. Oxyria. 



1. POLYG'ONUM, L. 



Herbs. Leaves alternate ; stipules tubular. Flowers 2-sexual, in 

 panicled racemed or spiked clusters ; bracts ochreate. Sepals 5, 3 outer 

 sometimes enlarging in fruit. Disk usually glandular. Stamens 5-8 ; 

 anthers versatile. Ovary compressed or 3-gonous ; styles 2-3, stigmas 

 capitate. Fruit 3-quefcrous or compressed. Embryo axile or lateral. 

 DISTRIB. All climates; species 150. ETYM. iroXvs and y6w, from the 

 many nodes. 



