94 Mr. Babington's Descriptions of Indian Species 



not thought it necessary to characterise the genera and sections, and must 

 refer to that work for full descriptions of them. I will not trouble the society 

 with any further observations, but proceed at once to the description of the 

 species. 



Polygonum. Linn. 



Sect. 1. Bistorta. Meisn. 

 1. P. bulbiferum. 



Spica compacta densa basi interrupta laxiuscula, bracteis ovatis acuminatis 

 subincisis, staminibus calyce brevioribus filamentis post anthesin elon- 

 gatis, stylis 2 rariiis 3 calyce dupl6 longioribus, achenio calycis longitudine 

 lenticular! faciebus rotundato-acuminatis minut^ granulato-striatis sub- 

 opacis, foliis caulinis subsessilibus lanceolatis radicalibus petiolatis ellip- 

 ticis vel elliptico-lanceolatis omnibus in margine revoluto costato-cre- 

 natis. 



P. bulbiferum. Royle MSS. 



Stem simple, striated, smooth, from two inches to more than a foot in height, 

 springing from a thick perennial woody rhizoma. Leaves elliptical, often 

 so short as to be nearly round, and others on the same plant so much 

 elongated as to appear lanceolate, upon long stalks ; their margins revo- 

 lute and marked with a series of short elevated transverse striae, so as to 

 appear crenulated, the under side slightly downy, the cauline leaves lan- 

 ceolate and sessile. Stipules long, cylindrical, splitting laterally and 

 dilated at their top, with numerous nerves which are finely scabrous, or 

 rather, towards the top, very minutely spinoso-pubescent. Flowers small, 

 white, in dense compact spikes, the lower parts of which are more or less 

 elongated and interrupted, and bear small bulb-like bodies in the place 

 of fruit ; the true flowers are 5-fid, the segments obtuse, stamens 8, the 

 filaments of which before the anthers burst are much shorter than the 

 calyx, afterwards they elongate until they nearly equal the styles which 

 are twice the length of the calyx, and usually two, but in some cases 

 three in number ; bractese longer than the pedicels, acuminate, obliquely 

 truncate and cut; the pedicels jointed just below the flower. Fruit 

 rather large, lenticular, compressed, the faces nearly round and pointed. 



