196 HEXANDRIA— TRIGYNIA. Rumex. 



Lobel, Gerarde and Camerarius, quoted in Fl. Brit, belong, so 

 nearly resembles this plant, that I have hitherto confounded 

 them, supposing the absence or presence of tubercles to be va- 

 riable. Linnaeus had already fallen into the same error. A 

 more strict scrutiny has proved them distinct, and justified 

 Mr, Hudson in establishing the present species, whose very 

 astringent root has been celebrated as a cure for the scurvy. 

 The real aquatkus has its leaves heart-shaped at the base, and 

 the permanent petals are broadly ovate, more finely veined, a 

 little toothed, all entirely destitute of tubercles. This is well 

 figured in Camer. Epit. 232 ; Lob. Ic. 285./. 2 ; Ger. Em. 389. 

 /. 1 5 and Dalech. Hist. 604./. 3. 

 R. paludosusj Huds. 154, still remains unascertained. 



** Floiioers separated. 



9. K. Acetosa. Common Sorrel. 



Flowers dlGecious. Leaves oblong, arrow-shaped. Perma- 

 nent petals tuberculated. 



R. Acetosa. Linn. Sp. PL 481. Willd. v. 2. 260. R. Br. 396. 

 Engl. Bot. V. 2. 1. 1 27. fVoodv. Med. Bot. t. 69. Hook. Scot. 1 13. 



Lapathum n. 1597. Hall. Hist. v. 2, 274. 



L. acetosum vulgare. Rail Syn. 143. 



Oxalis. Fuchs. Hist. 464./. 



O. sive Acetosa. Matth. Valgr. v. \. 405. f. Ger. Em,396.f. 



O. vulgaris. Bauh. Hist. v. 2. 989./. 990. 



O. major. Camer. Epit. 230./. 



Acetosa. Brunf. Herb. v. 2. 68./. 



A. pratensis. Bauh. Pin. 114. 



/3. A. montana maxima. Bauh. Pin.WA. Dill, in Rail Syn. \ A3. 



Oxalis sylvatica maxima. Bauh. Hist. v. 2. 990. 



In meadows and pastures, common. 



Perennial. June. 



Root long and tapering, astringent, somewhat woody. Herb smooth, 

 powerfully and agreeably acid. Stem from 1 to 2 feet high, erect, 

 simple, leafy, striated. Lower leaves stalked, somewhat ovate ; 

 arrow-shaped, with 2 lateral teeth 3 upper sessile, more oblong 

 and narrower. Stipula interior, tubular, membranous, fringed. 

 Clusters erect, compound, whorled, leafless. Barren Jl. green, 

 with a reddish tinge. Pet. ovate, rather larger than the calyx. 

 Anth. pale yellow. Fertileji. on a separate plant, rather redder. 

 Cal. at length reflexed. Permanent pet. ovate, obtuse, red, en- 

 tire, each bearing a pale oblong tubercle. 



If Dillenius be correct in the synonyms which he applies to our j3, 

 found by Mr. Llwyd in Merionethshire, that supposed variety is 

 a very distinct species, Haller's n. 1598, R. arifolius of Allioni, 

 if not of Willdenow, whose petals are orbicular-heart-shaped, 

 destitute of tubercles. The whole plant is twice the size of the 



