MEMOIES FROM THE DEPAETMENT OF BOTANY OF COLUMBIA COLLEGE. 



[Plate 23.J 

 23. Polygonum segetum Humboldt, Bonpland & Kunth. 



Pohjyunain veyetmn Humboldt, Bonpland & Kunth, Nov. Gen. 2: 177 (1817); 

 Sprengel, Syst. 2: 257; Meisner, Monog. 67, in DC. Prodr. 14: 120. 



F(j]jj(j(}vum Ludovicianvvi Meisner in DC. Prodi'. 14; 116 (1856). 



Polygonum .seyefmii var. gerndnum Meisner in DC. Prodr. 14: 121 (1856). 



Perennial, glabrous below, pubescent or glandular about the inflorescence. Stem 

 erect, 4-8 dm. long, simple or sparingly branched, enlarged at the nodes; leaves nar- 

 rowly lanceolate, 6-16 cm. long, .7-1.5 cm. broad, acuminate at both ends, sometimes 

 undulate and slightly crisped, glabrous except occasional short stout hairs on the mid- 

 rib and the ciliate margin, not punctate, short-petioled ; petioles about 1 cm. long ; ocreae 

 cylindric or narrowly funnelform, 1-1.5 cm. long, those on the lower part of the stem 

 glabrous, the upper pubescent or glandular, especially about the inflorescence, naked 

 or fringed with a few short bristles; inflorescence paniculate more or less compound, 

 the ultimate divisions ending in spicate often geminate racemes ; racemes erect, 2-4 cm. 

 long, cylindric, rather loosely flowered; ocreolae funnelform, 2-2.5 mm. long, oblique, 

 coriaceous with a somewhat membranous edge, more or less scurfy ; pedicels at length 

 about 3 mm. long, strongly angled; calyx 2-2.5 mm. long, five-parted to near the 

 base, the segments oblong, obtuse; stamens six or seven, included; style about 1.5 mm. 

 long, two-parted to below the middle; acheiie lenticular, 2.5 mm. long, ovoid, usually 

 somewhat plano-concave, rather long-pointed, dark brown, minutely granular, dull. 



Louisiana, Mexico and the West Indies ; also in Colombia. 



