50 MEMOIES FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF BOTANY OF COLUMBIA COLLEGE. 



■ [Plate 12.] 

 12. Polygonum hispidufn Humboldt, Bonpland & KuBth. 



Polygonum hispidum Humboldt, Bonpland & Kunth, Nov. Gen. 2: 178 (1817); 

 Sprengel, Syst. 2: 259; Meisner, Monog. 80, in Mart. Fl. Bras. 5: 12. i. ^ and in DC. 

 Prodr. 14: 122. 



Perennial, stout and leafy, more or less glutinous. Stem erect or spreading, 3-10 

 dm. long, simple or sparingly branched, hispid and glandular ; leaves varying from ovate 

 to broadly lanceolate, 8-22 cm. long, 2-8 cm. broad, acuminate, glandular, base con- 

 spicuously decurrent on the petiole, glabrous or hispidulous on and about the midrib 

 and nerves; petiole .5-1.5 cm. long, hispid or glandular; ocreae cylindric, 1-3 cm. long, 

 large, base more or less contiguous, expanded into a patent rim at the summit, very 

 hispid, fringed with spreading bristles ; inflorescence paniculate, rather simple, the ulti- 

 mate divisions ending in spicate racemes; racemes linear-oblong, 2-10 cm. long, erect, 

 continuous, densely flowered, reddish ; ocreolae funnelform, 3 mm. long, oblique, spread- 

 ing at the summit, fringed with short bristles ; pedicels about 3 mm. long ; calyx white or 

 rose-purple, 4.5 mm. long, five-parted to below the middle; stamens five; style 3 mm. 

 long, two-parted to below the middle, exserted; achene lenticular, 4.5 mm. long, orbicular- 

 obovoid or orbicular-oblong, sometimes abruptly pointed and broader than high, slightly 

 biconcave, black, smooth and shining. 



The West Indies, Central America and northern and eastern South America as far 

 south as Paraguay. 



