Polygonwn.} POLYGONACE®. 883 
annular, surrounding the scanty, floury albumen; cotyledons con- 
volute ; radicle thick. 
1726. Rivina numiuis Linn. ; v, 21. 
In all the preltisived, vodliabue and in most of them 
thoroughly naturalised and as if wild. 
A slender herb; native of America. 
Order CY. POLYGONACEZ, 
Herbs, rarely shrubs, sometimes climbing ; very rarely trees. 
Leaves alternate, rarely opposite, entire or serrulate; stipules 
Scarious or membranous, usually shea oe vee stem. Flowers 
hermaphrodite, rarely by abortion polygamous, regular, small or 
medium, soli ary or fascicled within the bract, aleema axillary or 
cymose or racemed ; pedicels usually axillary; bracts ai 
ochreate or involucrate. Perianth simple, inferior, sepaline 
petaloid ; lobes or eeiaey 3-6, free or connate, persistent, ney 
ate in bud. Stamens 5-8, rarely more or fewer, opposite the 
Perianth- segments filaments filiform, free or connate below in a 
ting; anthers 2-celled, usually vets cells discrete, parallel ; 
= longitudinal. Disk annular, glandular, or 0. - rpels 
nnate in a superior, sessile, free, 1-celled ovary, compressed or 
Sane rarely 4-gonous ; ovule solitary, peat ssl, or 
enclosed in the perianth. Seed erect; testa membranous; albu- 
a Copious, floury, sometimes ruminate ; embryo lateral, straight, 
urved, or sometimes peripheric ; radicle superior. 
ils :—~ 
Perianth 4-5-, rarely 3- rate ticeesaie capitellate ........... ——— 
ge yates shrubs, in aan = pe inflorescence —. in en ; 
Perianth 5- ntigo: 
teeee 
787. Polygonum Linn, 
Herbs, r rarely undershrubs, erect, rarely ares ; leaves ant 
nate, entire, rarely oa pe ia ee us. Flower. 
hermaphrodite, small o: 
‘iain’, beeen 
