34 iIEM(1IRS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF BOTANY OF COLUMBIA COLLEGE. 



[Plate 4.] 



4. Polygonum phytolaccaefolium Meisner. 



Polijyonum phytolaccaefolium Meisner; Small, Bull. Torr. Club, 19: 360 (1892). 



Perennial, glabrous or very sparingly pubescent with slender inconspicuous hairs, 

 light green, turning dark in drying. Stem erect, 4-8 dm. long, somewhat branched, 

 channeled, slightly flexuous ; internodes much shorter than the leaves ; leaves ovate or 

 ovate-lanceolate, 3-14 cm. long, 1-6 cm. broad, acute or acuminate at the apex, often 

 ciliate, obtuse or acute at the base, thin, undulate and somewhat crisped, sometimes coria- 

 ceous ; ocreae funnelform, 1-2 cm. long, brittle, early falling away, more or less pubes- 

 cent; inflorescence rather simple, consisting of axillary and terminal racemes or panicled 

 racemes ; racemes few, loosely-flowered, 2-6 cm. long, more or less interrupted ; ocreolae 

 similar to the ocreae but smaller ; pedicels slender, 2 mm. long, articulated above the 

 middle ; calyx whitish or pinkish, nearly 2 mm. long, not much enlarged in fruit, five- 

 parted to below the middle, the segments obovate, two often much smaller than the rest ; 

 stamens eight, included; style less than .5 mm. long, three-parted to the base; achene tri- 

 quetrous, nearly 4 mm. long, ovoid, somewhat pointed at both ends, exceeding the calyx, 

 light brown, smooth and shining or slightly granular. 



Mountains of Washington, Oregon and California. 



