LXXXII. POLY GONACEiE 
419 
A wild Rhubarb, Rheum Emodi , Wall., grows on the Chor and on Marali at 
11,000-12,000 ft. It is 5-0 ft. high, with large leaves often 2 ft. diam., and an 
erect panicle 2-3 ft. long of small flowers. 
Perianth 4- or 5 -parted. Stigmas capitate. 
Nut enclosed in the perianth-segments . . . .1. Polygonum. 
Nut only partially enclosed in the perianth-segments . 2. Fagopyrum. 
Perianth 6-parted. Stigmas fringed 3. Rumex. 
1. POLYGONUM. From the Greek pokes, many, and gonu j 
the knee, referring to the stem being often enlarged and bent at 
the joints. — Nearly all regions. 
Herbs, rarely of shrubby habit ; stems erect or prostrate. 
Leaves entire ; stipules sheathing the stem, often fringed at the 
edge, usually becoming torn and jagged, minute and 2 -partite 
only in P. filicaule. Flowers 2-sexual, small, shortly stalked, 
rarely sessile, usually pink or white, in bracteate clusters, axillary 
or forming racemes, heads or panicles ; bracts flat or tubular, 
each containing usually 2-4 flowers. Perianth sometimes glan- 
dular, 4- or 5-cleft, the 2 outer segments usually the smaller. 
Stamens 4-8, rarely fewer, alternating with small, honey- secreting 
glands, except species 2 to 5 ; anthers attached by the centre. 
Ovary flattened or 3-angled ; styles 2 or 3, free or more or less 
united, stigmas capitate. Nut 3-angled or flattened like a lens 
with convex faces, usually smooth and black, enclosed in and not 
longer than the perianth. 
Stipules 2-parted, minute. 
Stems straw-like, very slender. Flowers minute . 
1. P. filicaule. 
Stipules tubular. 
Stems erect or prostrate. 
Flowers axillary. 
Nerves of stipules prominent. 
Stems rough. Leaves ovate .... 
Stems smooth. Leaves narrowly lanceolate . 
Nerves of stipules none or very faint. 
Perianth shortly toothed ..... 
Perianth deeply toothed . 
Flowers in terminal racemes. 
Bracts flat. 
Bracts hairy. Styles 2. Nut flattened . 
Bracts glabrous. Styles 3. Nut 3-angled. 
Leaves ovate, cordate . 
Leaves linear-lanceolate . 
Bracts tubular. 
Stipules not fringed at the margin. 
Leaves glabrous 
Leaves minutely hairy on the margins, mid- 
rib and nerves 
Stipules fringed at the margin. 
Stipules hairy. 
Styles 2. Nut flattened . 
Styles 3. Nut 3-angled . 
2. P. recum.bens. 
3. P. aviculare. 
4. P. tubulosum. 
5. P. plebejum. 
6. P. orientale. 
7. P. amplexicaule. 
8. P. Emodi. 
9. P. glabrum. 
10. P. simlense. 
11. P. minus. 
12. P. Donii. 
ee2 
