OCTANDRIA—TRIGYNIA. Polygonum. 235 



than the cahjx^ always 6, though the segments of the calyx are 

 but 5. Shjles separate to the base^ except a very small portion, 

 forming an abrupt beak to the seed, which is orbicular, hollowed 

 out at each side, thick at the edges, sometimes triangular, when 

 probably there are 3 styles. 



4. P. Hydropiper. Biting Persicaria. 



Styles two, united half way up. Stamens six. Clusters lax, 

 interrupted, drooping. Stem erect. Leaves lanceolate, 

 wavy, without spots. 



P. Hvdropiper. Linn. Sp. PI. 5 1 7. mild. v. 2. 444. H. Br. 426. 

 Engl. Bot. V. 14. t. 989. Curt. Lond.fasc. 1 . t. 26. Hook. Scot. 

 121. Bull. Fr. t. 127. Fl. Dan. t. 1576. 



P. n. 1554. Hall. Hist. v. 2. 256. 



Persicaria acris, sive Hydropiper. Bauh. Hist.v.3. p.2.772.f. 

 Rail Syn. 144. 



P. vulgaris. Pet. H. Brit. t. 3. f. 5. 



Hydropiper. Fuchs. Hist. 842./. 843. Malth. Valgr. v. 1 . 533./. 

 Camer. Epit. 352./ 



Common every where in ditches and clear watery places. 



Annual. September. 



Root fibrous, whorled, as in most of the genus. Herb smooth. Stem 

 erect, 2 feet high, branched, round, more or less red and shin- 

 ing ; swelled above each joint. Leaves lanceolate, undulated, 



' stalked, pale shining green, without spots. Stipulas fringed 

 with unequal bristles, very obscurely ribbed. Clusters terminal, 

 long and slender, curved, interrupted, leafy in their lower part j 

 their partial Jlower-stalks erect, close, longer than in the two 

 preceding species, and accompanied by tubular, sheathing, ab- 

 rupt, coloured bracteas. Cat. 4- or 5 -cleft, variegated with red, 

 white and green, covered with glandular dots, such as are scat- 

 tered, more or less universally, over the whole herbage, and in 

 which its acrid quality resides. Stamens 6, rarely 8. Styles 

 united nearly half way up. Stigmas capitate, often red, some- 

 times 3. Seeds compressed, purplish black. 



5. P. ??iinus. Small Creeping Persicaria. 



Styles two, combined. Stamens six. Clusters lax, slender, 

 nearly upright. Stem trailing at the base. Leaves linear- 

 lanceolate, flat. 



P. minus. Huds.ed.\. 148. Willd. Sp. PL v.2. 445. Fl. Br.426. 



Engl. Bot. V. 15. 1. 1043. Curt. Lond.fasc. 1. 1. 28. Hook. Scot. 



121. 

 P. Persicaria p. Linn. Sp. Pl.5\8. 

 P. Hydropiper /3. Huds. 170. 

 P. intermedium, Ehrh. Herb. 94. 



