BUCKWHEAT FAMILY 79 



tered in their axils, white-woolly on both sides. — Frequent in 

 stony and gravelly, places, flowering in late summer. 



9. E. nudum Dougl. Stems few, erect, several inches to 2 

 ft. high, mostly glabrous above, clustered with the leaves 

 on a woody taproot. Leaves oblong, obtuse, usually 1 in. 

 long except in Alpine forms, on petioles of more than twice 

 their length, densely woolly beneath. Involucres in close 

 heads and in the forks of the inflorescence, or terminating 

 simple stems in Alpine plants. Bracts in 3's, short, rigid, and 

 scale-like. Flowers dull white or pink. — Common every- 

 where. 



10. E. virgatum Benth. Stems few or solitary, erect, 3 in. 

 to 3 ft. high, from an annual root, woolly throughout. Leaves 

 chiefly basal, oblanceolate, usually wavy-margined, woolly. 

 Involucres sessile, scattered along the slender branches, each 

 subtended by 3 lanceolate scales. — A foothill species, ex- 

 tending up to 4200 ft. or more. 



4. RUMEX. Dock. 

 Perennials with small greenish or reddish flowers in ter- 

 minal panicles. Leaves alternate, entire or with few lobes; 

 stipules sheathing the stem. Calyx of 6 sepals, the outer 

 small and spreading, the inner somewhat colored, becoming 

 larger and appressed to the 3-angled akene. Stamens 6. 

 Styles 3. 



Plant small, slender; flowers unisexual. 



Leaves mostly lobed at base 1. R. aceto sella. 



Leaves never lobed 2. R. paucifolius. 



Plant large, coarse; flowers mostly with both stamens 

 and pistils. 



Leaves green, strongly wavy; sepals broad-winged. .3. R. crispus. 



Leaves green, slightly wavy; sepals narrow- winged. 4. R. conglomerate. 



Leaves pale, flat, willow-like 5. R. salicifolius. 



1. R. acetosella L. Sheep Sorrel. Stems 1 to V/2 ft. high, 

 from slender roots with running branches, the flowers in a 

 narrow panicle. Leaves mostly basal, oblong to oblanceolate, 

 usually with slender basal lobes, petioled. Flowers becoming 

 reddish, on very short pedicels jointed at the top. — An Euro- 

 pean weed with very acid leaves, naturalized in all the lower 

 valleys. 



2. R. paucifolius Nutt. Stems a foot or so high, from a 

 thick root, the flowers in a loose open panicle. Leaves 

 chiefly basal, lanceolate or narrow, never lobed, 1 or 2 in. 

 long, petiole usually longer. Flowers reddish, on pedicels 

 jointed at the base. — A weed of moist places: Yosemite, Lake 

 Tenaya, Bloody Canon, etc. 



