excellent Monograph of Dr. Meisner, to whom the honour 
is due of having been the first to investigate scientifically 
the structure and modifications of these plants. But the 
fruit of this species being unknown, it is not at present 
possible to refer it accurately to its station. In habit it 
has most affinity with the Fagopyrum tribe; but its ochree 
are cylindrical and truncated, not semi-cylindrical. Perhaps 
this, and the Coccoloba sagittifolia of Ortega, are the repre- 
sentatives of a new form of the order peculiar to South 
America. 
The various species of Polygonum are better known as 
troublesome or uninteresting weeds, than as useful or orna- 
mental plants. We must not, however, be led to despise 
the meanest herb that grows, because its value is unknown 
to us: in proof of which, read the following extract from 
Dr. Meisner's Monograph : — 
Of all the species, the most useful are P. fagopyrum and 
tataricum, the grain of which supplies, in many parts of the 
old world, the place of corn: they have in some places 
acquired the name of Saracen wheat, in consequence of 
supplying the only kind of corn used by some of the 
wandering tribes of Asia: to people of this description, the 
Fagopyrums are of the utmost value, as they grow readily 
in any soil, and ripen their produce in a very short space of 
time. The culture of the common species is not, however, 
confined to Asia; it is well known in almost every part of 
Europe; and in Nipal it is grown along with P. tatari- 
cum and emarginatum. In Russia and Siberia the two first 
of these species are used; but in Europe the P. fagopyrum 
is preferred : nevertheless, according to M. Decandolle, the 
farmers of Piedmont, especially in the valley of Lucerne, 
chiefly employ the P. tataricum, because it ripens more 
quickly, and is therefore less likely to suffer from cold 
summers, or from being sown on the sides of the moun- 
tains. The Piedmontese distinguish the P. Jagopyrum by 
the name of ** Formentine de Savoie," and the P. tataricum 
by that of “ granette" and “ Formentine de Luzerne." 
The principal objection to the latter is, that its flowers 
expand irregularly and unequally, and that the flour is 
blackish and rather bitter. The P. fagopyrum is, however, 
cultivated in the richer parts of Europe as a food for 
domestic fowls or other birds, rather than for the use of 
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