beautifulflowers032840mbp

152 BEAUTIFUL FLOWERS OF KASHMIR [Plate 36
Bracts membranous, smooth, strongly oiliate with long hairs,
the margins somewhat rose-coloured. Perianth white, rfr in.
long, without glands ; segments egg-shaped. Stamens 5-8.
Styles 3, united at the base, the free portion filiform. Nuts
TV in. long, 3-angled, smooth and polished.
Locality. Up to 7,000 ft. east of the Indus.
Distribution. From the Indus on the W. Himalaya to
Bengal, Assam and Burma, Central and S. India, Ceylon,
China, Malay Peninsula, Australia, W. Asia, S. Europe,
Africa, America.
Polygonum tubulosum,
Boiss.
( Tubulosum means tube -shaped, referring to the shape of the stipules.)
A small, hairless annual. Branches short, prostrate or
ascending, leafy, angular, not grooved, rarely more than 6 in.
high. Internodes very short. Leaves stalkless, linear, less
than in. long, crowded, margins bent back. Stipules conspicuous,
tube-shaped, long, white, transparent, almost entire,
torn or fringed, nerves none or very faint. Flowers very small,
white or pink, stalkless, in axillary clusters. Perianth shortly
4- or 5-toothed. Stamens usually 4 or 5. Styles 3, free. Nut
3-angled, smooth, shining.
Flowers. June to September.
Locality. Karakoram ;
at elevations of 6,000-11,000 ft.
Distribution. Kashmir to Kunawer, Afghanistan, Persia.
Polygonum vacciniifolium,
Wall.
(Vacciniifolium means having the leaves of Vaccinium Myrtillusi
Linn., the Whortleberry.)
Kootstock much-branched. Branches trailing and creeping.
Leaves i-f in. long, short-stalked, round or elliptic, sharppointed
at both ends or long-pointed at the tip, quite entire,
bluish green beneath. Stipules rigid, fringed, J-i in. long,
brown, with many long, strong nerves. Kacemes li-3 in.
long, almost stalkless. Bracts long-pointed. Flowers rosecoloured,
i in. diameter. Stamens at length protruding. Styles
filiform, free.
Locality. Ladakh, 14,000-16,500 ft.
Distribution. Temperate and subalpine Himalaya, from
Kashmir to Bhutan, 9,000-16,500 ft.