CLXXIX. POLYGONEA. 633 



ovary, distinct, or more or less united, very rarely adherent to the angles of the ovary ; 

 stigmas simple, capitate or discoid, sometimes feathery or peuicillate ; ovule solitary, 

 basilar, orthotropous, erect, rarely pendulous from a basal funicle, with the micro- 

 pyle downwards, but always erect when ripe. Achene or caeyopsis compressed- 

 lenticular, 3-4-gonous, with projecting or obtuse angles, sometimes winged, entire, 

 toothed, or spiny, rarely naked, usually covered by the accrescent and sometimes 

 fleshy perianth. Seed conformable to the cell, erect, free or adnate to the endocarp ; 

 testa membranous ; hilum basilar, large ; albumen copious, farinaceous, rarely sub- 

 fleshy and scanty. Embrto antitropous, curved and appressed to the side of the 

 albumen, or straight and axile in the albumen ; cotyledons linear or oval, incumbent 

 or accumbent, sometimes largely foliaceous, fiexuous ; radicle superior. 



Tkibe I. ERIOGONBM. 



Flowers 5 , or rarely polygamous, within a 1- or more-flowered tubular invo- 

 lucre. Calyx 6-partite. Stamens 9. Ovary free ; ovule basilar, erect. Embryo 

 included in a scanty albumen. — Ochreas obsolete. 



PRINCIPAL GENERA. 

 Eriogonum. Oxytheca. Nemaoaulisi Choiizantha. Pterostegia, 



Teibe II. POLTGONE^ VEBM. 



Flowers 5 or polygamous; involucre 0. Stamens 1 9, usually 6 or 8, rarely 

 12-17. Ovary free or rarely adherent below; ovule basilar, erect. — Stipules 



ochreate. 



PRINCIPAL GENERA. 



Calligonum. EmSx. Muhlenbeckla. * Rheiim. * Euraex. 



* Coccoloba. Fagopyrum. Oxyria. * AtraphaxiS. Triplaris. 



Oxygonum. * Polygonum. Ruprechtia. 



Teibe III. SBUNNIGEIEJEI. 



Flowers § ; involucre 0. Calyx 5-partite. Stamens 8. Ovary free, 3-gonous ; 

 ovule pendulous from a basal funicle, erect when ripe. — Ochreas or obsolete. 

 Stems usually woody, climbing, furnished with tendrils. 



GENERA. 

 Antigonum. Brunnichla. 



Teibe IV. 8TMMEEIEJS. 



Flowers dioecious, polyandrous. Calyx, of ? 6-partite. Ovary adherent. — 



Ochreas 0. 



PRINCIPAL GENUS. 



Sj'mmeria. 



