CIII. POLYGON ACEiE. 
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Trief. III. Coecoloben?. — Trees, shrubs or rarely undershrubs, the step: s sometimes climb- 
iny. Leaves alternate, ocrea various, often very short or almost obsolete. Inflorescence axillary or 
terminal. Perianth 5-merous. Stamens 8 or fewer. Stigmas various. Albumen longitudinally silicate, 
3 to 6-Iobed and very frequently ruminate. 
Flowers move or less dioecious. Styles or style- branches 3 ; stigmas 
more or less fringed or rarely entire 3. Mchlenbeckia. 
1. POLYGONUM, Linn. 
(Stems much-jointed.) 
Flowers usually hermaphrodite. Perianth of 5, rarely fewer segments, all 
equal or the 2 or 3 outer ones enlarged. Stamens 5 to 8, varying often in the 
•same species. Styles or style-branches 2 or 3, with entire terminal stigmas. 
Nut flattened or triangular, enclosed in or surrounded by the persistent perianth. 
Embryo lateral, more or less curved, the radicle superior. — Herbs varying much 
in habit. Stipules in the majority of species thinly scarious, closely sheathing, 
the lower portion adnate to the petiole, the greater part connate within it ; in 
the section Aricularia looser jagged and silvery. Flowers small, pale green or 
red with white edges, either clustered or rarely solitary in the axils, or in little 
clusters within a sheathing bract arranged in simple or paniculate spikes. 
A large genus, with almost the cosmopolitan range of the Order. 
(Arranged according to Hook, in FI. Brit Ind ). 
Sect. I. Avicularia, Meissn. — Erect or prostrate herbs, rarely undershrulis or shrubs. 
Leaves small; stijniles tubular hyaline cleft or torn. Flowers in axillary clusters, bracts 
tubular. Perianth 4 to 5-cleft. Stamens 3 to 8, very short. Styles 3, minute, free. Nuts 3- 
gonous. Albumen homey, cotyledons incumbent. 
Stems elongated and wiry. Perianth about li line long. Nut minutely 
granular-striate 1. P. aviculare. 
Stems short and compact. Perianth under 1 line long. Nut smooth and 
shiny 2. P. plebeium. 
Sect. II. Amblyg’onon, Meissn . — Erect or ascending herbs. Leaves large ; stipules with 
often a dilated mouth. Flowers in cylimlric spikes or racemes; bracts tabular. Perianth 4 to 
5-partite. Stamens 5 to 8, alternating with glands. Style 2 to 3 short, stigmas capitate. Nuts 
orbicular, compressed. Embryo slender, cotyledons narrow incumbent. 
Stipules, at least the lower ones, dilated and green at the top 3. P. orientate. 
Stipules all closely sheathing and scarious at the top 4. I’, attenuation. 
Sect III. Persicaria. — Erect or decumbent unarmed often glandular, annuals or 
perennials. Leaves narrow. Flowers in slender or dense-spiciform racemes ; tracts tubular. 
Spikes solitary, mostly axillary. Stem prostrate 5. P. prostratum. 
Spikes terminal, long, slender and interrupted, usually single. Stems 
slender, erect. Perianth densely glandular-dotted C. P. hydropiper. 
Spikes usually continuous and 2 or mere in a terminal panicle. Perianth 
without any or with few glandular dots. Stems erect or ascending. 
Stipules bordered by bristles usually long, at least the upper ones. 
Glabrous. Spikes few and slender 7. P. minus. 
Strigose-hirsute. Spikes slender, pedunculate. Leaves nearly 
sessile S. P. subsessile. 
Strigose-hirsute. Spikes compact, on short peduncles. Bristles of 
the stipules very long ' 9. P. barbatum. 
Stipules truncate, without any or with a few fine short cilia. 
Strigose hirsute. Spikes compact 10. P. articulatum. 
Glabrous or nearly so 1L P- lapathifolium. 
Cottony-white 12- P. laniyerum. 
Sf.ct. IV. Echinocaulon. — Erect or ascending usually prickly annuals. Leaves usually 
broad, often hastate. Flowers capitate or in racemes, bracts tubular. 
Stems weak with reflexed bristles on the angles of the branches .... 
13. P. strigosum, 
