Dactylanthus.] BALANOPHORACEAE. 397 
young. Scales from } to } in. long at the base of the peduncle, larger above, 
frequently lin. Spadices almost concealed by the upper scales, 10-30 
together or more, 3-14in. long. Flowers rather loosely placed towards 
the base of the spadix, very densely packed elsewhere—Handb. N.Z. FI. 
(1864) 255; TZ. Kirk in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xxviii (1896) 493; Cheesem. 
Man. N.Z. Fl. (1906) 625; Ul. N.Z. Fl. u (1914) t. 178. 
Nortu Isnanp: Auckland—Platean between Hokianga and the Northern Wairoa, 
P. Bedlington ! from Port Charles to Cape Colville, H. Nairn / forest plateau behind 
the Township of Thames, 7. Kirk, W. Townson! East Cape district, H. Hill ! 
Hawke’s Bay—Runanga and Opepe, near Taupo, H. Hill, 7. F. C.; Tarawera and 
Nuhaka, A. Hamilton ; Hawkston and Patoka, F. Hutchinson! Taranaki—Mount 
Egmont, W. H. Skinner, Petrie, Cockayne. Wellington— Upper Wanganui at 
Pipiriki, H. Phillips Turner ; Upper Waitotara, J. R. Annabell! between the Upper 
Wangaehu and Taupo, Rev. R. Taylor, H. C. Field / Upper Rangitikei, J. P. Marshall, 
Ff. Phillips Turner ; Kaitoke, near Wellington, J. S. Tennant and B. C. Aston / 
Sea-level to 3500 ft. Pua-retnga. February—A pril. 
Since the first edition of this work was published much additional information 
respecting this remarkable plant has been obtained. This I have collated and 
published in my “ Hlustrations of the N.Z. Flora”’ (vol. ii, t. 178), and in the 
Trans. N.Z. Inst. (vol. lii (1920) 12). Students should refer to these works for much 
matter which from the exigencies of space cannot be given here. I may mention, 
however, that through Mr. Townson’s investigations it has been definitely proved that 
spadices of both sexes occur on nearly all full-sized rhizomes. 
Family XXXIII. POLYGONACEAE. 
Herbs or shrubs or woody climbers. Leaves alternate or rarely opposite, 
simple, entire or serrulate. Stipules thin, scarious or membranous, forming 
a sheath round the stem. Flowers small, regular, usually hermaphrodite, 
herbaceous or coloured, often jointed on the pedicel, clustered in the axils 
of the leaves or in spikes or racemes, often forming terminal panicles. 
Perianth inferior, persistent ; segments 3-6, free or connate at the base, 
imbricate. Stamens 5-9, rarely more or less, hypogynous or perigynous ; 
filaments capillary or subulate, free or connate at the base; anthers 2-celled. 
Ovary superior, compressed or 3-gonous ; styles 1-3; ovule solitary, basal, 
orthotropous.’ Fruit a small hard indehiscent trigonous or compressed 
nut, usually enclosed in the persistent perianth. Seed erect; testa — 
membranous ; albumen copious, farinaceous ; embryo variable in position, 
radicle superior. | 
A rather large family, spread over the whole world, but most abundant in the 
North Temperate Zone. Genera 30; species over 700. The roots of manv species are 
nauseous and purgative, the medicinal rhubarb being a well-known instance. On the 
other hand, the stems and leaves are frequently acid and refreshing, as the garden- 
rhubarb and the common sorrel. Buckwheat (Fagopyrum) is the only edible plant 
of any consequence. Of the 3 New Zealand genera, Muehlenbeckia extends to 
Australia and South America; the remaining 2 are widely distributed in both 
hemispheres. ; 
Flowers hermaphrodite. Perianth-segments 5, not succulent ° 
in fruit Pd a + bs ahs -. 1. Potygonum. 
Hlowers hermaphrodite. Perianth-segments 6, the 3 inner 
enlarging and closing over the fruit, not succulent 
Flowers unisexual. Perianth-segments 5, enlarged and 
succulent in fruit > e by rk .. 3 MUEHLENBECKIA. 
bD 
. RuMEX, 
