POLVGONACE^. (liUCKWHEAT FA.VlLY.) 441 



to oJ.long or sometimes lanceolate, arw^/s/i, cuneate or cordate at base (2-5 

 long) ; spike terminal, dense, ovate or oUorif/ (|- 1' long) ; flowers bright rose- 

 color (1^-3" long) ; the 5 stamens and 2-cleft style exserted. — Widely distrib- 

 uted and rather common. (Eu., Asia.) 



10. P. Muhlenbergii, Watson. Perennial, in muddy or dry places, 

 decumbent or suberect, sco/>ro«s icith short appressed or ylandular hairs ; leaves 



. thinner, rather broadly lanceolate, narrowly acuviinate (4 7' long) ; spikes more 

 elongated (1-3^ long), often in pairs; flowers and fruit nearly as in tlie last 

 (P. amphibium, var. terrestre, 6r^?'a^, JNIanual; not Leers.) — N. Eug. to Fla., 

 westward, across the continent. 



* * Sheaths and bracts bristly riliate or the sheaths foUaceously margined. 

 -t- Sepals not punctate ; style 2-cleft; achene somewhat Jlatttned. 



11. P. Hartwrightii, Gray. Perennial, very closely allied to n. 9, 

 growing usually in mud, the ascending stems rooting at base and very leafy, 

 more or less rough-hairy, at least on tlie sheaths and bracts, the former ciliate 

 and often with abruptly spreading f)l iaceons borders ; leaves rather narrow (2 - 7' 

 long), on very short petioles ; flowers and fruit as in n. 9. — X. Eng. and X. Y., 

 to Minn., Iowa, and far westward. When growing in water the floating leaves 

 are thicker and glabrous. 



12. P. Careyi, Olney. Annual, erect, the stem (3-5° hig-^.^and pedun- 

 cles glandular-bristly ; leaves narrowly lanceolate, attenuate to both ends, rough- 

 ish ; sheaths ciliate or sometimes margined; r^pikes slender, loose and nodding; 

 flowers purplisli ; stamens mostly 5. — Shady swamps, S. Maine and N. H. to 

 Penn. and Out. 



P. orientAle, L. (Prince's Feather.) Tall hrauching annual, soft- 

 hairy ; leaves ovate or oblong, pointed, distinctly petioled; sheaths ciliate or 

 »ften with an abrupt spreading border ; flowers large, bright rose-color, in d/use 

 cylindrical nodding spikes ; stame7is 7. — Sparingly escaped from gardens into 

 waste grounds. (Adv. from India.) 



P. PkrsicXria, L. (Lady's Tiiumh.) Nearly smooth and glabrous (12- 

 18' high); sheaths more or less bristly -ciliate ; leaves lanceolate, pointed, 

 roughish, often marked with a dark triangular or lunar spot near the middle ; 

 sj>ikes ovoid or oblong, dense, erect, on smooth (or at least not glandular) pedun- 

 cles ; stamens mostly 6; styles half 2-3-cleft ; achene gibbous-flattened or 

 sometimes triangular, smooth and shining. — Waste and damp places, very 

 common. (Nat. from Eu.) 



— -I- Sepals conspicuously dotted and leaves punctate [except n. 13), ivitli dcric* 

 juice; style mostly ^-parted, and achene triangular ; sheaths bristle-fringed. 



13. P. hydropiperoides, Michx. (Mild Water-Pepper.) Perev 

 iial, not acrid; stem smooth (1-3° high), branching; the narrow sheathf 

 hairy ; leaves narrowly lanceolate, sometimes oblong ; spikes erect, slender. 

 sometimes filiform, often interrupted at base (1 -2^' long) ; flowers small, flesh- 

 color or nearly white; sepals not dotted ; stamens 8; achene sharply triangular, 

 smooth and shining. — Wet places and in shallow water; common, especially 

 southward. 



14. P. Hydropiper, L. (Common Smartweed or Water-Pepper.) 

 Annual, 1-2° high, smooth; leaves narrowly to linear-lanceolate; spikes nod- 

 ding, usually short or interrupted; flowers mostly greenish; stamens 6; style 

 2-3-parted; achene dull, minutely striate. — Moist or wet grounds; appa 

 rently introduced eastward, but indigenous north and westward (Eu.) 



