POLYGONACE. (BUCKWHEAT FAMILY.) 389 
rough on the margins and veins; spikes erect, oblong, obtuse, close-flowered ; 
flowers rose-color; stamens mostly 8, exserted ; style 2-cleft; achenium orbic- 
ular, with the sides concave. — Wet places, Georgia, and northward. July- 
Sept @ — Stem 19-3? high, sometimes nearly smooth. Leaves 9!- 4' long. 
Spikes 1-13! long. Flowers much larger than those of the two preceding 
species, 
-* * Sheaths fringed with bristly hairs : achenium 3-angled, or (in No. 5) sometimes 
i ` lenticular : stamens mostly 8. : 
5. P. Persicaria, L. Stem smooth, branching from the base, erect or 
diffuse ; leaves lanceolate or oblong, obtuse or acutish, the margins and veins 
toughened ; sheaths short, nearly smooth, fringed with a few short bristles ; 
spikes short, oblong, obtuse, dense-flowered ; flowers rose-color; stamens 6 - 7; 
style half 2-cleft ; achenium lenticular or 3-angled, smooth and shining. — Low 
places around dwellings and along roads, Florida, and northward. Introduced. 
July. @—Stem 1°-1}°high. Leaves 2'-4! long, often with a dark trian- 
gular spot in the middle. Spikes }/-1/ long. T 
6. P. acre, Kunth. Stem slender, smooth, creeping at the base; leaves 
lanceolate, rough on the margins and veins, and, like the white calyx, dotted 
with pellucid glands; sheaths smoothish, long-fringed at the throat; spikes 
1-3, filiform, loose-flowered ; stamens 8; style 3-parted ; achenium 3-angled. 
(P. punctatum, Ell.) — Ditches and margins of ponds, Florida, and northward. 
July- Sept. X — Stem 1°-3° long. Leaves 2/-4! long, very acrid. Spikes 
2! - 3! long. : 
7. P. hydropiperoides, Michx. Stem slender, smooth, ascending from 
a floating or creeping base; leaves linear or lanceolate, roughened with short 
rigid hairs on both sides, or only on the margins and veins ; sheaths hispid, 
long-fringed ; spikes 2-3, linear, rather close-flowered ; calyx pale rose-color, 
and, like the leaves, glandless ; stamens 8; style 3-cleft; achenium 3-angled. 
(P. mite, Pers.) — Ditches and muddy banks, Florida, and northward. July - 
Sept. ,— Stem 2°-3° long. Leaves 2!- 4! long, not acrid. Spikes 1'—9' 
long. 
8. P. setaceum, Baldw. Stem erect, sparingly branched, smooth below, 
the upper portion, like the peduncles and lanceolate glandless leaves, rough with 
appressed hairs; stipules appressed-hirsute, copiously fringed with long bristles ; 
spikes filiform, by pairs, loose-flowered ; flowers white, glandless; stamens 8; 
style 3-cleft ; achenium 3-angled. — Low ground, Georgia and Florida. July- 
Sept. Y — Stem 2°-3° high. Leaves 3/—5' long. Spikes 1/—2' long. 
..9. P. hirsutum, Walt. Stem erect, densely hirsute with spreading ful- 
. Yous hairs; leaves lanceolate, nearly sessile, rounded at the base, hirsute, partic- 
. Ularly on the veins and margins; sheaths hirsute, copiously fringed; spikes 
2-3, linear, erect, rather close-flowered ; peduncles smooth above; bracts 4 uc 
_ Raked ; flowers white, glandless ; stamens 8; achenium 3-angled.— P 
ponds, Florida to North Carolina. July-Sept. 1, — Stem : 
aves 2/3! long. Spikes 1/ long. seas dun dad 
