410 
A CENSUS OF THE INDIAN POLYGONUMS. 
The separating out of the varieties of this species is by no means 
easy, and in the writer’s opinion too much reliance may be placed on 
the presence or absence of glands on the peduncles as varietal distinc- 
tions. It is not always possible to distinguish between a ‘‘ hispi- 
dulous ” peduncle and one from which the gland heads have dropped 
off the gland stalks, and in many apparently ‘Miispidulous ” peduncles 
the writer has detected a small proportion of glandular heads still 
remaining and showing the true character of the peduncle. The 
confusion which inattention to this resemblance between a truly hispi- 
dulous peduncle and one that is only apparently so may bring about, is 
well illustrated by a concrete example Strachey WinterbottonC s 
No. 36 is represented in Calcutta Herbarium by two sheets, which are 
practically facsimiles of each other in every respect save one ; this is 
that in one of the specimens the gland-heads are very apparent, in the 
other they have all fallen off. No. 36 is quoted by Meisner under his 
VAR, ThunbergianuMj which he 4 escribes as eglandular hispidulous. 
He had seen a specimen on the peduncles of which only the gland- 
stalks had remained, and, misled by its hispidulous appearance, had 
placed it under Thunbergianum^ whereas it is typical ovalifolia. 
The variety scahra includes both Meisner’s scabrum and the variety 
hispida of the Flora of British India. Griffith’s Khasia Hill specimen 
agrees precisely with Meisner’s description of his variety scabrum^ and 
between it and Gallatly’s typically hispid specimens are all gradations. 
56 . *Poly^onum Gilesii Hemsiey. (Hook. leones Plant. ^ vol. xviii, 
PI. 1756). 
Herb ? everywhere glabrous ; branches above filiform, at least three 
feet long. Leaves very few on the lower part of the stem, petioled, rather 
fleshy, cordate, about ‘5 in. broad. Stipules smsAX, sc \eA\ke. Flowers 
small, apparently white, very shortly pedicelled. Perianthsc^mcvi\s 
oblong, obtuse. Stamens 8, included Nut smooth, exserted. 
VI. — North-West Himalaya: (i) Gilgit ; Giles\ (9) Chitral, 
6,000 ft., HarrisSy Duthie’s No. 16577 • Jambatai, 10,000 
ft, Duthie'sy No. 16576 ! 
The description is taken from Hemsiey in Hooker’s leones Plan’- 
taruMy vol. xviii, PI. 1756. 
Section IX. — Echinocaulon Meisn. 
57 . Polygonum muricatum Meisn. 
VII.— Nepal: Wallichy No. 1724! 
VIII. — Eastern Himalaya : No specimen in the Calcutta Her- 
- barium. 
