14(> 



POLYGONACEtE. 



Polygonum. 



§ 1. Albumen farinaceous. 



* Amblygodon, Meisn. Stamens 5 - 7 : styles-cleft: achenium lenticular, acuminate, the margin rounded : cotyledons 

 accunibent, narrow. — Annual : flowers in crowded spikes : ochrece cylindrical. 



1. Polygonum Orientale, Linn. Princes-feather. 



Stem erect, paniculately branched, hairy ; leaves ovate, acuminate ; ochreae salver-form ; 

 spikes terminal, nodding, on hairy peduncles ; flowers heptandrous. — Linn. sp. 1. p. 362; 

 Bot. mag. t. 213 ; Pursh, fl. 1. p. 272 ; Ell. sk. 1. p. 257 ; Torr. fl. 1. p. 405 ; Meisn. 

 I. c. p. 53 ; Beck, bot. p. 302 ; Darlingt. fl. Cest. p. 251. 



Stem 4-6 feet high, paniculated and loosely branched above. Leaves 4-6 inches long 

 and 2-3 inches or more wide, softly pubescent, on long petioles. Ochreas hairy and ciliate ; 

 the limb spreading or reflexed. Spikes numerous, cylindrical ; the flowers crowded, large 

 and spreading, bright rose-color. Styles united below. Achenium nearly orbicular, blackish. 



Waste places, cultivated grounds, etc. ; almost naturalized in some places. July - Sep- 

 tember. 



** Fagopyrum, Tourn. Flowers octandrous : styles 3: achenium triquetrous: cotyledons broad, folded and twisted. — 



Flowers in racemes or panicles : ochrece semicylindrical. 



2. Polygonum Fagopyrum, Linn. BuckivheaL 



Stem erect, paniculately branched, smooth; leaves cordate -sagittate, acute; racemes 

 paniculate ; flower with eight glands between the insertion of the stamens ; achenium twice 

 as long as the calyx , the angles acute, entire. — Linn. sp. 1. p. 364 ; Engl. bot. t. 1044 ; 

 Bigel. fl. Bast. p. 15<J ; Meisn. I. c. p. 61. t. 4. /. R. ; Beck, bot. p. 303 ; Darlingt. fl. 

 Cest. p. 252. 



Annual. Stem 2-3 feet high, reddish purple when old, pubescent about the joints. 

 Leaves broader than long, on long petioles. Flowers white, tinged with green and rose-color. 

 Achenium dark brown and somewhat clouded. 



Fields ; remaining as a weed where the plant has been cultivated. June - September. 

 Originally from Central Asia. 



*** Tiniaima, Meisn. Flowers mostly octandrous : styles 3 {rarely 2), or none : stigmas capitate : achenium triquelrous, 

 (rarely somewhat compressed), covered by Hie calyx: cotyledons accumbent. — Stems twining or climbing : flowers in 

 spicate racemes, panicles or heads. 



t Stem twining : leaves cordate or cordate-sagittate : flowers in racemes or racemose panicles ; bracts and ochrem semicylindrical. 



3. Polygonum Convolvulus, Jjinn. Black Bindweed. 



Stem twining or prostrate, roughish ; leaves somewhat hastate-cordate, acuminate ; flowers 

 in slender axillary racemes ; calyx-segments keeled, not winged, veinless ; ochreae naked ; 

 achenium granular-striate, the sides ovate-triangular. — Linn. sp. I. p. 364 ; Engl. bot. t. 941 ; 



