POLYGONACE^ 117 



The following species are alpine: — R. alpinus, L., Alpine 

 Dock; leaves large, roundish-cordate, leaf-stalk strongly 

 channelled, stem 2-3 ft. ; pastures, common, especially 

 near cow-huts. R. scutatuSj L. ; stem prostrate, glabrous, 

 very brittle, leaves hastate or sagittate, with large basal 

 lobes; stony places and walls, frequent. R. arifolms, 

 All. ; stem ascending, 1-3 ft., leafy, leaves thin, with 

 spreading auricles; pastures and damp places, not un- 

 common. R. nivalis, Heg. ; stem 2-4 in., simple, leaf- 

 less, flowers in whorls, leaves rather thick, with indistinct 

 auricles ; very high ; Switzerland, Tirol, Carniola, Bavaria. 



The remaining species are English, viz. : — The various 

 species of Dock : — R. obtusifolius, L., conglomeratuSy L., 

 pulcheVy L., Fiddle-Dock, crispus, L., sanguineus, L., 

 nemorosus, L., distinguished largely by the form of the 

 enlarged inner sepals in fruit, and by the presence or 

 absence of callosities on them. The Water-Docks : — 

 R. aquaticus, L., and Hydro lapathmn, Huds., with very 

 large leaves ; R. maritiinus, L., and palustris, Sm., in 

 marshes and by sandy shores of lakes. The Sorrels: — R. 

 Acetosa, L., and Acetosella, L., Sheep's Sorrel, plants with 

 very acid glabrous cordate-hastate leaves, in meadows. 



3. OXYRIA, L. 



Resembling Rumex, but sepals 4 ; stigmas 2. 



0. digyna, Hill, (reniformis, Hook.), Mountain Sorrel 

 (PI. 104); stem 6-18 in., nearly leafless, flowers in 

 whorls, forming a slender lax raceme, fruit with broad 

 wings, red when mature, radical leaves reniform, glab- 

 rous, on long stalks; wet rocks at a high elevation, 

 common. 



