Polygonum.} POLYUOXEjE. 22i 



# H« Floivers dioecious. Plants acid. (Acetosa or Sorrels.) 



9. R. Acetosa, Linn. Common Sorrel. Enlarged sepals or- 

 biculari-cordate, reticulated, scarcely tubercled ; leaves ob- 

 longo-sagittate. Br. Fl. 1. p. 170. E. Fl. v. ii. p. 196. E. 

 Bot. t. 127. 



Meadows and pastures, frequent. Fl. June, July. If.. — Stem 1 — 2 

 feet high. Lower leaves stalked, with two lateral teeth, upper ones 

 sessile. Clusters erect, leafless. Flowers reddish. 



10. R. AeetoseUa, Linn. Sheep's Sorrel. Enlarged sepals 

 ovate, not tubercled; lower leaves lanceolato-hastate, lobes 

 entire. Br. FL 1. p. 170. E. Fl. v. ii. p. 197. E. Bot. t. 

 1674. 



Dry pastures, frequent. Fl. May— July. %. — Variable in size from 

 2 to 10 inches, and in the form of its leaves. 



2. Oxyria. Hil. Mountain-Sorrel. 



Perianth of four sepals, the two inner ones rather largest. Nut 

 triquetrous, with a broad membranaceous margin. Embryo 

 erect, inverted. — Name from ogvs, sharp or acid, from the 

 acid flavour of this, as of many other plants belonging to 

 the same natural family. Hexandria. Digynia. 



1. O. reniformis, Hook. Kidney-shaped Mountain- Sorrel. 

 Br. Fl. I. p. 167. E. FL v. ii. p. 188. E. Bot. t. 910. 



Moist alpine rocks. On MagUlvcuddy's Reeks, and Brandon moun- 

 tain, county of Kerry ; and on Ben Bulben, county of Sligo. Fl. 

 July, Aug. %. — " Stems 8 — 10 inches high, with rarely more than one 

 leaf, often naked. Radical-leaves numerous, all reniform, with a more 

 or less evident obtuse sinus at the apex, on long footstalks, having mem- 

 branaceous stipules at their base. Racemes and peduncles branched, 

 with minute, ovate, membranaceous bracteas at the base of each rami- 

 fication. Pedicels thickened upwards. Flowers erect, small. Sta- 

 mens 6, shorter than the sepals. Pistil nearly orbicular, compressed, 

 notched, with two feathery spreading styles. Fruit a nut, enclosed in 

 an utricle, with a remarkably broad winged border, tipped with the 

 styles, situated in rather a deep notch, and having at the base the 

 pointed sepals, not at all enlarged." Hooker. 



3. Polygonum. Linn. Fersicaria, Knot-grass and Buck- 

 wheat. 



Perianth single, in five deep, coloured, persistent segments, 

 inferior. Stamens 5 — 8. Styles 2 — 3. Fruit a one-seeded, 

 compressed or trigonous nut. — Named from ttoXvs, many, and 

 yovv, a knee or joint ; from the numerous joints of the stem. 



Octandria. Trigynia. 



