The external morphology of the fruit and the ocrea of 16 taxa of Polygonum and Bilderdykia in southern Africa c was studied.Fruits are either lenticular or trigonous.Six types of fruit surfaces were distinguished.Five types of ocreae were found, characterized by: a green undulating limb; a silvery hyaline sheath; a brown tubular sheath without terminal Microphone Data Cable hairs; a terminal fringe of short cilia or setae; and a bristly hairy sheath fringed with long rigid setae.