368 POLYGONACEAE 
3. Eriogonum longifdlium Nutt. Perennial by a thick rootstock, pubescent. Stems 
6-13 dm. tall, paniculaiely or corymbosely branched above, finely grooved : leaves mostly 
at the base of the stem ; blades narrowly oblong or linear-oblong, 5-22 cm. long, silky- 
strigose above, tomentose beneath, obtuse or acutish, the upper ones sessile, the lower ones 
attenuate into winged petioles with dilated sheathing bases : peduncles mostly less than 1 
em. long: involueres turbinate-campanulate, 4-5 mm. high: calyx herbaceous, 4-5 mm. 
long, densely silky with silvery hairs: sepals lanceolate or oblong-lanceolate: achene 3- 
angled. 
In sandy soil, southern Missouri to the Indian Territory and Texas. Spring to fall. 
4. Eriogonum annuum Nutt. Annual, floccose-tomentose with white hairs. Stems 
erect, 3-9 dm. tall: leaf-blades narrowly oblong or oblanceolate, 2-7 cm. long, acute or 
obtuse, flat or slightly revolute, or crisped, attenuate into short petioles: peduncles shorter 
than the stems or almost wanting, topped by a dichotomous compound cyme : involucres 
turbinate or turbinate-campanulate, 2-3 mm. high, very short-stalked, densely white- 
tomentose ; lobes 5, obtuse: calyx white or pink, 1-2 mm. long, glabrous, the outer 
sepals obovate, the inner narrower, all truncate or retuse at the apex, sometimes fiddle- 
shaped : achenes 3-angled, 1.5 mm. long, with a globular base and a beak of equal length, 
the angles smooth. 
In dry places, Nebraska to Texas, New Mexico and Chihuahua. Summer and fall. 
5. Eriogonum multifldrum Benth. Annual, woolly-tomentose with white hairs. 
Stems erect 3-10 dm. tall, leafy below, strict : leaf-blades lanceolate or oblong-lanceolate, 
2-7 em. long, acute or obtuse, undulate and often crisped, revolute, sessile and somewhat 
auricled : peduncles 2-30 cm. long, each topped by a trichotomous cyme: involucres 
turbinate-campanulate, about 2 mm. high, shorter than their stalks; lobes 5, triangular: 
calyx white, 2-3 mm. long, glabrous: sepals very unequal, the outer suborbicular, retuse 
or notched at theapex, cordate at the base, the inner linear, shorter than the outer : achenes 
3-angled, about 3 mm. long, subglobose below, each narrowed into an acute beak. 
In dry soil, Arkansas to Louisiana and Texas. Summer and fall. 
6. Eriogonum tenéllum Nutt. Perennial, usually scapose. Stems sometimes de- 
veloped, 1-3 dm. long, leafy : leaves usually basal; blades ovate or suborbicular, 0.5-1.5 
cm. in diameter, obtuse or acutish, gradually or abruptly narrowed at the base, densely 
and softly tomentose on both surfaces; petioles longer than the blades or shorter: scapes 
often wand-like, 1—4 dm. tall, rather sparingly branched : involucres turbinate-campanu- 
late, 3-4 mm. high, on more or less elongated stalks ; lobes 5, broad, often acutish : calyx 
white or pink, at length about 3 mm. long, glabrous, the outer sepals obovate or sub- 
orbicular, retuse or notched at the apex, more or less spreading, the inner sepals linear- 
oblong, erect, shorter than the outer: filaments slightly villous at the base: achenes 3- 
angled, 2.5 mm. long, globose at the base, each short-beaked. 
In dry places, Colorado to Texas, New Mexico and Chihuahua. Summer and fall. 
2. RUMEX L. 
Annual or usually perennial, caulescent herbs, with large roots. Leaves alternate : 
blades entire, flat, undulate or crisped, narrowed, or cordate or auricled at the base: ocreae 
thin, brittle. Flowers green, perfect, polygamo-monoecious or dioecious on pedicels which 
are jointed to and terminate short peduncles, in distant or contiguous whorls disposed in 
panicles. Sepals 6, the 3 inner usually developing entire toothed or spiny wings one or 
each of which usually bear a callosity. Stamens 6. Ovary sessile : styles 3 : stigmas peltate, 
tufted. Achene 3-angled, usually invested by the accrescent calyx, its angles more or 
less margined. Dock. SORREL. 
Flowers dioecious : some or all of the leaves with hastate blades: plants sour. 
Inner sepals not developing wings: achenes granular. 1. R. Acetosella. 
Inner sepals developing wings: aehenes smooth. 2. R. hastatulus: 
iiri polygamo-monoecious : none of the leaves with hastate blades : plant 
not sour. 
Sepal-wings entire, undulate or shallowly toothed. 
Leaves flat or the margins sometimes slightly crisped, usually pale, the 
lower ones mostly narrow. 
Pedicels together with the peduncles, or at least some in a cluster, 
longer than the wings. ; : 
Leaf-blades about twice as long as broad. 3. R. fascicularis. 
Leaf-blades several times longer than broad. 
Pedicels together with the peduncles several times longer than xu 
the wings. . 4. R. verticillatus. 
Pedicels together with the peduncles slightly longer than the See 
wings. 5. R. salicifolius. 
