76 MEMOIES FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF BOTANY OF COLUMBIA COLLEGE. 



[Plate 25.] 

 25. Polygonum setaceum Baldwin. 



Polygonum setaceum Baldwin; Elliott, Bot. S. C. and Ga. 1: 455 (1817); Sprengel. 

 Syst. 2: 253; Meisner, Monog. 79 and in DC. Prodr. 14: 103; Eaton & Wright, N. A. 

 Bot. Ed. 8, 368 ; Chapman, Fl. S. States, 389 ; Darby, Bot. S. States, 489. 



Perennial, rather slender, more or less strigose throughout, at length woody below. 

 Stem erect, 6-11 dm. long, strigose especially about the nodes, sometimes becoming 

 nearly glabrous, simple or sparingly branched above, enlarged especially above the nodes ; 

 leaves oblong-lanceolate or narrowly lanceolate, 4-18 cm. long, .7-3 cm. broad, acuminate 

 at both ends, strigose on both sides or occasionally nearly glabrous, except the midrib 

 and nerves beneath, ciliate, inconspicuously but closely punctate; ocreae cylindric or 

 funnelform at branching nodes, 1-1.5 cm. long, strigose, fringed with bristles often equal- 

 ling them in length ; inflorescence paniculate, usually quite simple, the ultimate divisions 

 ending in spicate, more or less geminate racemes; racemes erect, 1-6 cm. long, almost 

 linear, loosely flowered ; ocreolae funnelform, slightly oblique, 2-2.5 mm. long, fringed 

 with bristles, some of the bristles exceeding them in length ; pedicels slender, at length 

 3-5 mm. long ; calyx about 2 mm. long, white or pink, five-parted to a little below the 

 middle, the segments ovate-oblong, obtuse; stamens eight, included; style three-parted 

 to below the middle, 1 mm. or less long, at length protruding beyond the calyx ; achene 

 triquetrous, 2-3 mm. long, broadly oblong, obovoid or oblong-ovoid, somewhat rhom- 

 boidal, thick-pointed at both ends, black, minutely granular and rather dull or slightly 

 shining. 



Missouri and North Carolina to Texas, Louisiana and Florida. 



