300 POLYGONACE^. 



1. B. capUatum Linn.: procumbent; leaves triangular-hastate ; heads of 

 flowers alternate, in a leafless terminal spike. 



Fields and margins of swamps. Mass. to Virg. N. to Subarct. Amer. June, 

 July. 0. — -Sfem a foot long, branched, iiead* round, sessile, consisting of nu- 

 merous minute flowers, becoming red and succulent; somewhat resembling 

 strawberries. Abundant near Rome, N. Y. Strav^erry Elite. 



2. B. virgatum Linn.: leaves triangular-hastate; heads scattered, 

 lateral. 



Fields, &c. Penn. June. 0. — Leaves with large sinuate teeth. Heads of 

 Jlmvers axillary, always lateral, becoming red. Introduced. 



Slender Stravoberry Elite. 



3. B. maritimicm Null.: perianth membranaceous; clusters axillary, 

 spiked, naked ; leaves lanceolate, attenuated at each extremity, incisely 

 toothed. 



Salt marshes, near N. Y. Aug. (I). — Stem erect, 1 — 2 feet high, much 

 branched. Leaves with a few large teeth, succulent. Perianth not becoming 

 succulent. Resembles an Atriplex, and perhaps does not belong to this genus. 



Seaside Elite. 



Order CII. PHYTOLACCACE^.— Pokeweeds. 



Perianth of 4 — 5-petaloid leaves. Stamens either indefinite, 

 or, if equal to the number of the divisions of the perianth, alter- 

 nate with them. Ovary of 1 or several cells, each containing 

 1 ascending ovule. Fruit berried or dry, indehiscent. Seeds 

 ascending, solitary, with a cyhndric embryo curved round mealy 

 albumen. — Under shrubs or herbaceous plants. Flowers race- 

 mose. 



PHYTOLACCA. /:.m?i.— Pokeweed. 



(From the Greek (pvrov, a plant, and 'Kaxai'ov, a pot-herb ; in allusion to the 

 use wliich is made of the young shoots.) 



Perianth 5-leaved, petaloid. Stamens Y — 30. Styles short, 

 5 — 12. Berry superior, globose-depressed, made up of 5 — 12 

 closely united carpels. 



P. decandra LinW. : leaves ovate-lanceolate, acute at each end, alter- 

 nate, petiolate ; flowers in simple racemes, with 10 stamens and 10 styles. 



Borders of fields. Can. to Car. W. to Ark. June — Oct. %. — Root very 

 large, fusiform. Stem 4—8 feet high, succulent, purplish. Flowers whitish, \i\ 

 long pedimculate racemes. Eerry globose-depressed, purple when mature. The 

 root is a violent emetic. Eig. Med. Eot. i. 39. Common Pokeweed. 



Order GUI. POLYGONACEJS.— Buckwheats. 



Perianth free, often colored, imbricated in aestivation. Sta- 

 mens usually definite, inserted in the bottom of the perianth. 

 Ovary superior, with a single erect ovul« ; styles 2 — 4. Fruit a 

 nut, usually triangular, naked or covered by the enlarged peri- 



