SILENALS. 122 noo 
Habitat. Ditches. ~ 
Quality. Very acrid, diuretic. 
Uses. Leaves are vesicant, but 
they require to be fresh. ia 
2. P. Bistorta Linneus.— 
(Bistort.) Fig. 178. 
Leaves oblong-ovate,rather 
cordate and wavy; peti- 
oles winged; flowers in 
a dense terminal spike. — 
Habitat. Meadows. : 
Quality. Powerfullyastringent; — 
tonic. e 
Uses. Decoctionin leucorrhea — 
and gleet, spongy gums, — 
relaxed sorethroat,hemor- 
rhages, fluxes; intermit- 
tents. 
“\ 3. P. amphibium Linneus. — 
| Stems creeping, root-like; 
bi leaves stalked, gene- a 
Ny; rally floating, ovate- 
| lanceolate, more oF 
less acute, single 
ribbed, minutely ser- 
rated, smooth, bright 
green, slightly heart- 
shapedatthe base; st- 
pules abrupt, smooth; 
flowers in dense, ova 
bracteated heads; sta- 
mens 5; styles 4 
united at base; stig 
mas globular, red. 
Habitat. Ponds, ditches, and 
places. 3 
Uses. The root-like stems bear some 
resemblance to ga 
and are substituted for the 
foreign drug by the herbalists of : 
Nancy ; it is said that ae 
bles true Sarsaparilla in its Pro" 
perties,and thatthe apothecaries - 
and druggists of use 
it in preference. : 
4. P. aviculare Linneus.— 
(Knot Grass). Fig. 180. 
Stems prostrate, or nearly 
leafy up to the ends; /ea” 
lanceolate or oblong; ochre® 
bifid, 6-nerved ;— fove 
axillary ; nuts rugose. 
178 
Fig. 178.—Polygonum Bistorta. 
