104 SWISS FLOWERS. 



to three feet high. The flowers grow in a densely-crowded 

 spike about two inches long. They are of a very pretty 

 pink colour, with lead-coloured stamens, reaching beyond 

 the divisions of the calyx ; styles three. There are also 

 numerous stipules, or membranous bracts, which give the 

 plant an awned appearance, and assist in its resemblance to 

 " pink grass/' Leaves bright green on the face, white 

 beneath, the lower ones oblong, stalked, rather winged, the 

 upper pointed and sessile. Meadows, and fertile mountain- 

 pastures. 



P. viviparum (Fig. 83) is a more slender plant, and has a 

 much thinner spike than the above, one or two inches loug. 

 It is also remarkable as always seeming incomplete, for the 

 lower part of the spike consists of a number of little pink 

 bulbs, looking like seeds, by which the plant propagates. 

 At the top are some white or pinkish flowers with from six 

 to eight stamens, and three prominent styles, mixed, as are 

 the little bulbs, with membranous bracts. The bottom-leaves 

 only have long stalks, with brown sheaths nearly entire, and 

 revolute margins; the upper are lanceolate and sessile. Sunny 

 pastures of the Alps and Jura. 



Almost all the Persicarias are pretty from their colour, 

 though many of them are among our most troublesome weeds. 

 Some are cultivated : as the Buckwheat, P. Fagopyrum. 



