LXXXII. POLYGONACEJE 
419 
A wild Rhubarb, Rheum Emodi, Wall., grows on the Chor and on Marali at 
11,000-12,000 ft. It is 5-6 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. Eumex. 
1. POLYGONUM. From the Greek polus, many, and gonu, 
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 .... 
2. 
P. recumbens. 
Stems smooth. Leaves narrowly lanceolate . 
Nerves of stipules none or very faint. 
3. 
P. aviculare. 
Perianth shortly toothed .... 
4. 
P. tuhulosum. 
Perianth deeply toothed .... 
5. 
P. plebejum. 
Flowers in terminal racemes. 
Bracts flat. 
Bracts hairy. Styles 2. Nut flattened . 
Bracts glabrous. Styles 3. Nut 3 -angled. 
6. 
P. orientate. 
Leaves ovate, cordate .... 
7. 
P. amplexicaule / 
Leaves linear-lanceolate .... 
8. 
P. Emodi. 
Bracts tubular. 
Stipules not fringed at the margin. 
Leaves glabrous ..... 
Leaves minutely hairy on tfle margins, mid- 
9. 
P. glabrum. 
rib and nerves ..... 
10. 
P. simlense. 
Stipules fringed at the margin. 
Stipules hairy. 
Styles 2. Nut flattened .... 
11. 
P. minus. 
Styles 3, Nut 3-angled .... 
12. 
P. Donii. 
