44 
XI. POLY Gr AL ACEJE 
Simla, in crevices of rocks, common ; April-October. — Temperate Himalaya, 
4000-7000 ft. 
Hoyle (Illustr. PI. Himal. 76) mentions that the root is Used by the hill 
people as a cure for snakebite. 
3. Polygala abyssinica, R. Br. ; FI. Br. Ind. i. 202. Perennial, 
glabrous or pubescent. Rootstock woody. Stems short ; 
branches numerous, 6-18 in., slender, ascending. Leaves sessile, 
linear, |-1 in. Flowers in long, terminal racemes. Calyx per- 
sistent, wing-sepals pale grey. Corolla purple, keel-petal crested. 
Capsule ovate, notched, narrowly winged. 
Simla, on' open, grassy hill-sides, common; August, September. — W. 
Himalaya, 3000-8000 ft. — W. Asia, Africa. 
4. Polygala persicariaefolia, DC. ; FI. Br. Ind. i. 202. Annual, 
pubescent. Root fibrous. Stems erect, 6-18 in., branched. 
Leaves nearly sessile, lanceolate, 1-2 in. Flowers in stalked, 
erect, usually terminal racemes. Calyx persistent, wing-sepals 
pale yellow-grey. Corolla pink, keel-petal crested. Capsule 
ovate, notched, minutely fringed, narrowly winged near the top. 
Valleys below Simla ; September. — Himalaya, 5000-9000 ft. — Tropical 
Africa and Australia. 
) 
5. Polygala chinensis, Linn. ; FI. Br. Ind. i. 204. Annual, 
pubescent. Stems erect or diffuse, 2-6 in. Leaves sessile, 
narrowly oblong, in., obtuse. Flowers yellow, crowded in 
axillary racemes. Calyx persistent. Keel-petal minutely crested. 
Capsule ovate, notched, fringed, narrowly winged. 
Simla, in valleys ; August, September. — Throughout India, ascending to 
5000 ft. — Tropical Asia, Australia. 
XII. CARYOPHYLLACEAE 
Annual or perennial herbs. Stems erect or partially decumbent, 
rarely climbing, usually thickened at the joints. Leaves opposite 
or in opposite clusters, flat or terete, simple, entire, bases often 
more or less united i- stipules none or scarious. Flowers regular, 
2- rarely 1 -sexual, in forking cymes or panicles, rarely solitary. 
Sepals 4 or 5, persistent, free or united. Petals as many as the 
sepals, usually clawed, sometimes very small or none. Stamens 
free, twice as many as the petals, rarely 5 or fewer. Ovary free ; 
styles linear, 3-5 (in Polycarpcea only 1). Capsule membranous, 
fleshy and berry-like only in Cucubalus, 1 -celled (or 3-5-celled 
near the base), opening at the top in as many or twice as many 
teeth or valves as there are styles ; in Cucubalus only the fruit 
