DICOTYLEDONS. ^^ 



iiles (ochreae) often lacerate or fringed ; flowers perfect, usu- 

 ally white or rose-colored, each flower or cluster subtended 

 by a membranaceous bract similar to the ochrese of the 

 leaves ; calyx mostly 5-parted, the divisions petal-like, erect 

 and persistent ; stamens 3-9 ; styles 2-3-parted ; fruit lenticu- 

 lar or 3-angled. 



1. P. Persicaria L. Lady's Tear-thumb. Annual; stem 

 erect or ascending, simple or branched, nearly or quite smooth, 12- 

 18 in. tall; leaves lanceolate or oblong, short-petioled, roughened on 

 the edges and veins, punctate, usually marked with a dark, triangu- 

 lar spot near the middle ; ochreae bristly ciliate ; flowers in erect, 

 densely flowered spikes or racemes 1-2 in. long, rose-color to dark 

 purple, peduncles smooth ; achenes lenticular or 3-angled, smooth and 

 shining. June-July. Around dwellings. 



2. P. ruNCTATUM EIL Water Smartweed. Perennial; stem 

 creeping and rooting at the base, nearly smooth, slender, 1-3 ft. 

 long ; leaves lanceolate or oblong, acuminate at the apex, nearly 

 sessile, rough on the margins and nerves, dotted with pellucid 

 glands; juice acrid; ochre;To oblique, silvery, fringed with long bris- 

 tles ; racemes terminal, slender, loosely flowered, '2-'■^ in. long ; flow- 

 ers greenish; stamens 8; style 3-parted; achene sharply 3-angled, 

 smooth and shining. June-September. Common in ditches and 

 wet i^laces. 



3. P. oiiiENTALE L. Prince's Feather. Annual ; stem hairy, 

 branching above, 3-5 ft. tall; leaves ovate or oblong, acumiiuite 

 at the apex, ciliate, petioled ; ochrese cylindrical, usually with a 

 spreading border ; flowers in long racemes, bright rose-color, showy ; 

 stamens 7 ; style 2-cleft ; achene flat, ovate or orbicular, tinely 

 reticulated and not shining. June-September. Around dwellings ; 

 escaped from cultivation. 



4. P. aviculare L. KxoT-r.RAss. Annual or perennial ; st«'n» 

 jirostrate or ascending, diffuse, glabrous, 0-24 in. long; leaves sniall, 

 lanceolate or linear-oblong, obtuse, nearly or quite sessile ; ochrea* 

 scarious, 2-3-cleft or lacerate; flower clusters axillary, l-o-flowered, 

 flowers inconspicuous, nearly sessile ; calyx greenish-white, .")-])arted, 

 the lobes with white or colore<l borders ; stamens 5-8 ; style 3-parted ; 

 achene 3-angled, not shining. May-Se})teniber. A common weed 

 ill dooryards and where the ground is tramped. 



5. P. DTMEToiUM L. False IUckwheat. Perennial; stems 

 slender, twining, liranched, 2-10 ft. long; leaves ovate, aeuniiuate at 

 the apex, cordate to halberd-sha])ed at the base, long-petioled ; ochrea' 

 cylindrical, truncate; flowers in axillary, more or less eon^'ound anil 

 leafy racemes; calyx greenish-white, the outer lolx-s winged and 

 decurrent on the pedicel; stamens 8; stigmas :'> ; aehrne 3-aiiglfd, 



