56 MEMOIRS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF BOTANY OF COLUMBIA COLLEGE. 



[Plate 15.] 

 15. Polygonum incarnatum Elliott. 



Polygonum incarnatum Elliott, Bot. S. C. & Ga. 1: 456 (1817); Sprengel, Syst. 2: 

 258; Meisner, in DC. Prodr. 14: 120; Darby, Bot. S. States, 489; Chapman, Fl. S. 

 States, 388; Wood, Am. Bot. and Fl. 283; Coulter, Man. Bot. Rocky Mt. Reg. 319. 



Polygonum lapatUfolium Beck, Bot. 302 (1833) ; Wood, CI. Bk. Ed. 41, 474 (1855). 



Polygonum nodosum var. incarnatum A. Gray, Man. Ed. 2, 372 (1856). 



Polygonum lapathifolium var. incarnatum S. Watson in A. Gray, Man." Ed. 6, 440 

 (1890). 



Annual, nearly glabrous throughout, light green. Stem erect, 6-10 dm. long, 

 almost simple or branched, especially above, more or less thickened at the nodes ; leaves 

 lanceolate or narrowly-lanceolate, 5-20 cm. long, .4-4 cm. broad, acuminate at both 

 ends, sparingly punctate and ciliate, short-petioled the midrib bearing a few short, thick 

 hairs; ocreae cylindric or funnelform at branching nodes, 1-2 cm. long, loose, brittle, 

 eciliate or occasionally ciliolate when young ; inflorescence paniculate, more or less com- 

 pound, the ultimate divisions ending in spicate racemes ; racemes linear, 3-8 cm. long, 

 drooping, dense; ocreolae funnelform, 2 mm, long, oblique, cuspidate; pedicels 2 mm. 

 long ; calyx whitish, green or rose-colored, 2-3 mm. long, five-parted to near the base ; 

 stamens six, included ; style less than 1 mm. long, two-parted to near the base ; achene 

 lenticular, 2 mm. long, ovoid or broadly oblong-ovoid, flat and biconcave, dark brown 

 or black, smooth and shining. 



Southern New England to Minnesota, south to Florida and Texas. 



