WASTES AND WAYSIDES IN SUMMER 



205 



are of two kinds — male and female, either mixed, or collected in 

 separate clusters. Segments of the perianth united, pointed, some- 

 times toothed, and spotted above. The plant flowers from July 

 to September, and is 

 abundant in most parts, 

 especially near the sea. 



The order Polygonacece 

 also includes several way- 

 side plants which may be 

 easily distinguished as a 

 group by the following 

 characters : — At the bases 

 of the alternate leaves are 

 membranous stipules that 

 form a sheath round the 

 stem. The flowers are 

 small, arranged in clusters 

 in the axils of the leaves, 

 or in terminal spikes or 

 racemes. The fruit is a 

 smaU nut, enclosed more 

 or less in the persistent 

 perianth. 



Tlii-ee of the plants to 

 which we refer belong to 

 the genus Polygonum, in 

 which the sheathing stipule 

 is usually fringed at the 

 edge ; and the small flowers 

 are either green or red, with 

 a perianth of five segments, 

 and stamens not exceed- 

 ing eight in number. The 

 little nuts, too, are either 

 flattened or triangular. 



The three species may be identified by the following summary of 

 their leading features : 



1. The Spotted Persicaria {Polygonum Persicaria). — A very 

 common wayside plant, and a weed of almost all cultivated soils, 

 growing from one to two feet high, and flowering from July to 

 October. The leaves have, usually, a dark-coloured patch in the 



The Spotted Persicaria. 



