OCTANDRIA—TRIGYNIA. Polygonum. 235 



than the calyx, always Q, though the segments of the calyx are 

 but 5. Styles 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 halfway up. Stamens six. Clusters lax, 

 interrupted, drooping. Stem erect. Leaves lanceolate, 

 wavy, without spots. 



P. Hvdropiper. Unn. Sp. PL 5 1 /. inild. v. 2. 44^. FL Br. 426. 

 E)igL Bot. V. 14. t. 989. Curt. Lond.fasc. l.t. 26. Hook. Scot. 

 121. Bull. Fr.t. 127. FL Dan. t. Ij7(j. 



P. n. 1554. Hall. Hist. v. 2. 236. 



Persicaria acris, sive Hydropiper. Bauh. Hist. v. 3. p. 2. 772. f. 

 Rail Si/n. 144. 



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



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

 Camer. Epit.3j2.f. 



Common every where in ditches and clear watery places. 



Annual. September. 



Boot fibrous, whorlcd, as in most of the genus. Herb smooth. Stem 

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

 ing 3 swelled above each joint. Leaves lanceolate, \mdulated, 

 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 flower-stalks erect, close, longer than in the two 

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

 rupt, coloured bractcas. Cal. 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. Stainens G, rarely 8. Stifles 

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

 times 3. Seeds compressed, purj)lish black. 



5. P. viinus. Small Creeping Persicaria. 



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

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

 lanceolate, flat. 



P. minus. Huds. td. 1. 148. II did. Sp. PI. v. 2.445. FL Br. \26. 

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

 121. 



P. Persicaria (3. Linn. Sp. PL 518. 



P. nydroj)iper /3. Huds. 170. 



P. intermedium. Lfirli. Herb. 94. 



