384 EOLYGOXACILE. (BUCKWHEAT FAMILY.) 



sessile. Stigma capitate or many-cleft. Utricle indehiscent, 1 -seeded, included 

 in the calyx. Seed vertical. Radicle ascending. — Woody or hairy annuals. 

 Leaves -opposite. Spikes opposite, and terminating the naked peduncloliko 

 summit of the stem. 



1. F. Floridana, Moquin. White-tomcntose or woolly ; stem erect, sim- 

 ple or branched ; haves varying from linear to oblong; spikes ovate or oblong, 

 lengthening with age; bracts mostly blackish, shorter than the woolly calyx; 



style short ; stigma capitate ; fruiting calyx round-ovate, compressed, toothed 

 along tbc margins, and minutely tubercled at the base. (Oplotheca Floridana, 

 Ntrtt.) — Dry sandy places, Georgia, Florida, and westward. July- Sept. — 

 Stem i°-3° high. Spikes solitary, few, or numerous. 



Order 110. POLYGONACE7E. (Buckwheat Family.) 



Herbs, shrubs, or (tropical) trees, with simple mostly alternate and 

 stipulate leaves, and perfect or dioecious flowers. — Calyx 3 - G-cleft, or 

 3 - 6-sepalous, persistent. Stamens 4-12, inserted on the base of the 

 calyx : anthers 2-celled. Ovary single, 1-cellcd, with the solitary ortho- 

 tropous ovule erect from the base of the cell. Styles 2 - 3, distinct or 

 partly united. Fruit (achenium) lenticular or 3-angled, rarely ovoid. 

 Embryo mostly on the outside of mealy albumen. Radicle pointing 

 upward. — Stipules sheathing, annular, or wanting. 



Synopsis. 



Suborder I. FOLYGONE^E. Involucre none. Calyx 5-cleft or 

 5-scpalous. Stamens 4-9 (mostly 5 - 8). Ovules sessile. Embryo 

 curved on the outside of the albumen, rarely straight in its centre. 

 Stipules sheathing. 



* Calyx 6-sepalous, the inner sepals erect, mostly enlarged in fruit. 



1. RL'MF.X. Calyx green, often grain-bearing. Stigmas many-cleft. 



2. rOLYGOXELLA. Calyx corolla-like. Stigma entire. 



* * Calyx 5-sepaIOUB, the sepals all erect, unchanged in fruit, free from the achenium. 



3. POLYGONUM Sepals entire. Embryo curved on the outside of the albumen. 



4. THTSANELL V. Inner sepals fimbriate. Embryo straight at the Bids of the albumen- 



• # # Calyx 5-parted, the tube enlarged and fleshy iu fruit, and partly uuited with the 



achenium. 

 ". COCCOLOBA. Achenium ovoid or globose. Trees. 



SunoRDKR II BRUNNICHIEiE. Involucre none. Calyx 5-parted, 

 the tube enlarged and indurated in fruit Stamens 8. Ovule borne on 



* Blender stalk. Embryo at the margin <)!' the albumen. Stipules none. 



6 BRUNNICHIA. Pedicel* winged in fruit. Climbing shrubs. 



