CXI. POLYGONACE^E. 
II 
Polygonum.] 
Inflorescence of spiciform racemes. 
Ovary and nutlets biconvex. 
Stem stout, tall; leaves large tomentose . . (i) 
Stem slender; leaves small . . . ■ ( 2 ) 
Ovary and nutlet trigonous; stout plants; perianth 
eglandular. 
Sparsely hairy ...... (3) 
Densely silky on underside of leaves . . (4) 
Slender plants; perianth glandular. 
Racemes long pendulous; flowers remote . . (5) 
Racemes rather short, erect; flowers crowded . (6) 
Inflorescence of panicles of heads. 
Scandent long shrubby; leaves broad ovate . (7) 
Slender erect; leaves smaller; heads few. 
Nutlet trigonous; leaves narrow . . . (8) 
Nutlet biconvex; leaves oblong-ovate . . (9) 
P. tomentosum 
P. minus 
P. barbatum 
P. stagninum 
P. flaccidum 
P. hydropiper 
P. chinense 
P. strigosum 
P. pedunculare 
(1) P. tomentosum Willd. Sp. PI. ii. 447; Gage, l.c. 19. 
Stems 2 ft. tall or more, stout, unbranched slightly pubescent. 
Leaves lanceolate long-acuminate, base narrowed, softly hairy 
on both sides, 6 to 7 in. long, 1-5 to 175 in. wide; petioles -25 in. 
long; sheath membranous grooved, hairy, mouth truncate, ciliate. 
Racemes spike-like, slender branched, 2 to 3 in. long. Bracts 
tubular, ciliate. Flowers 4 to 6 in a bract, shortly pedicelled. 
Sepals white. Stamens 5 to 8, nearly as long as sepals. Ovary 
lenticular; style bifid. Nut orbicular, biconvex. Hab. Wet spots, 
open country, Malacca (Griffith). Perak, Teluk Anson (Kunstler); 
Ipoh (Curtis). Penang, Batu Feringhi (Curtis). Perlis, Kanga. 
Distrib. Africa, tropical Asia. 
(2) P. minus Huds. FI. Angl . i. 148; Gage, lx. 19. 
Slender herb, glabrous, about 6 to 12 in. long, creeping, ascend¬ 
ing, branched. Leaves sessile, linear or lanceolate, acute, 2-5 to 
3 in. long, -i to -25 in. across, sessile; sheath shorter than inter¬ 
nodes, strigose truncate, ciliate on mouth. Spiciform racemes 
branched slender, 175 in. long. Flowers minute, 5 or more in 
axil of bract; pedicel as long as flower. Nut minute lenticular. 
Hab. Wet spots. Not rare. Pahang, Pulau Tawar; Pekan, etc., 
along Pahang River. Selangor, River bank, Petaling Road, 
Kwala Lumpur. Perak, Kinta River (Kunstler). Dindings, Bruas 
(Curtis). Setul Heath. Distrib. Europe, Asia, Australia. Native 
name: Saruas Samalam. 
This is one of the very few natives of England among our flowering plants. 
(3) P. barbatum Linn. Sp. PI. 362; Gage, lx. 20. 
Plant about 3 ft. tall. Leaves lanceolate or linear-lanceolate, 
acuminate both ends, glabrous or more or less strigose, 3 to 5 in. 
long, *5 in. across; petioles *i in. long; sheath much shorter than 
the long (3 in.) internodes, mouth truncate, stiff, ciliate. Spici¬ 
form racemes rather thick, 1-5 to 2 in. long; peduncles 1 in. long 
or more. Bracts ciliate. Flowers 4 or more in axil of bract. 
