CLASS VI. ORDER IH. J RUMEX. 523 



disposed to think them distinct. It is equally common with R. 

 sanguineus, but never becomes of a crimson colour like that species. 



Habitat. — Road sides, fields, and shady places ; frequent. 



Perennial ; flowering in July. 



7. R. conglo^meratus, Murr, {prod. jl. Goett. (Fig. 598.) Sharp 

 Dock. Enlarged pieces of the perianth oblong, acute, entire, or with 

 two or three obscure teeth, each bearing a tubercle ; leaves lanceolate, 

 acute, the margins crenated, the lower ones heart-shaped at the base ; 

 whorls distant, many-flowered, leafy, on spreading branches. 



R. acutuSy\Am\. — English Botany, t. 724. — English Flora, vol. ii. 

 p. 192. — Hooker, British Flora, vol. i. p. 172. — R. glomeratus, 

 Spreng. — Lindley, Synopsis, p. 210. 



Root slender, tapering, branched. Stem erect, angular, furrowed, 

 somewhat zigzag, alternately branched frequently from the base up- 

 wards, leafy, the branches spreading, simple, sometimes divided. 

 Leaves on channeled footstalks, lanceolate, acute or obtuse at the 

 point, smooth, bright green, the margins waved and much crenated 

 in an irregular manner, the lower ones heart-shaped at the base, the 

 upper ones narrow, almost linear. Floivers numerous, in crowded 

 globose rather distant whorls, each accompanied with a small leaf, 

 diminishing upwards, a few only at the top without them. Perianth 

 of six pieces, the three outer ones small, thick, concave, obtuse, the 

 three inner ones becoming oblong, acute, reticulated with veins, and 

 each bearing a large fleshy tubercle, the margin entire, or with two or 

 three obscure teeth on each side towards the base. Nut broadly ovate, 

 acute, the apex pointed with the base of the styles, acutely three angled, 

 of a brown shining colour. 



Habitat. — Moist watery places ; not unfrequcnt. 



Perennial; flowering in July. 



This species is readily distinguished from the two preceding, by its 

 spreading not erect branches, which are curved upwards, its much 

 crowded distant whorls of flowers, each accompanied with a leaf, and 

 by its large granules upon the enlarged pieces of the perianth. 



b. Enlarged pieces of the perianth distinctly toothed. 



8. R. puVcher, Linn. (Fig. 599.) Fiddle Dock. Enlarged petals 

 ovate oblong, numerously toothed, mostly only one bearing a tubercle; 

 lower leaves oblong, fiddle-shaped ; stem much branched and spread- 

 ing ; whorls distant, mostly leafy. 



English Botany, t. 1576. — English Flora, vol. ii. p. 193.— Hooker, 

 British Flora, vol. i. p. 172.— Lindley, Synopsis, p. 210. 



Root tapering. Stem rather slender, somewhat angled and furrowed, 

 leafy, and alternately branched, with slender spreading divided branches, 

 bearing numerous distant whorls of few flowers, each accompanied by 

 a small crisped lanceolate leaf, the lower and radical leaves on chan- 

 neled footstalks, alternate, oblong,, with an acute or obtuse point, 



