578 POLYGONUM. tCLASS VIII. order ii. 



*%%* Helcine. De Cand. Floivers in axillary fascicles. Style 

 single^ from one to three lobed stigmas. 



12. P. Convolvulus^ Linn. (Fig. 658.) Climbing Buck-wheat. 

 Stem twining, angulato-striated ; leaves covdato-sagittate, the three 

 inner segments of the perianth obtusely keeled ; nuts triangular, opaque, 

 black. 



English Botany, I. 941.— English Flora, vol. ii. p. 239.— Hooker, 

 British Flora, vol. i. p. 186. — Lindley, Synopsis, p. 212. 



Root small, tapering. Stem climbing, much branched, twining 

 itself around other plants near it, somewhat angular from the nume- 

 rous prominent stria, and roughish, of a dull green, leafy, from two to 

 five or six feet long. Leaves alternate, heart-shaped, with the lobes at 

 the base pointed in an arrow-shaped manner, the margin mostly waved 

 and roughish, a dull green above, paler beneath and roughish, with a 

 mid-rib and branched lateral veins, the footstalks rather long, striated, 

 and channeled above, having an uneven somewhat membranous 

 stipule at the base. Inflorescence axillary clusters, of about four 

 flowers^ each on a short stalk, the perianth cleft half way down into 

 six ovate concave segments, of a palish green colour, the three outer 

 ones larger, with a more or less winged keel, the three inner ones with 

 an obtuse keel. Stamens eight, sometimes only six, the filaments 

 simple, awl-shaped, about half as long as the perianth, the anthers 

 small, yellow, roundish. Style very short, with a three-cleft stigma. 

 Fruit an acutely triangular ovate nut, smooth, of an opaque black 

 colour, as long as the perianth, and enveloped in it. 



Habitat. — Corn fields, gardens, &c. ; frequent. 



Annual; flowering from June to September. 



This in many parts of the country, especially in sandy districts, is a 

 very troublesome weed amongst corn. It produces a great number of 

 seeds, which are th6 food of many birds, possessing considerable 

 nutritive properties, though much less than the following species. 



***** Fagopyrum. Tournef. Floivers racemose, the racemes pani- 

 culated, or corymbose. Styles three, with thickened capitate stigmas. 



13. P. Fagopy'rum, Linn. (Fig. 659.) Buck wheat. Stem nearly 

 erect, without prickles; flowers in simple axillary racemes, and ter- 

 minal corymbose clusters; leaves cordato-sagitiate ; nuts triangular, 

 with even angles. 



English Botany, t. 1044.— English Flora, vol. ii. p. 239. — Hooker, 

 British Flora, vol. i. p. 186. — Lindley, Synopsis, p. 212. 



Root tapering, with fibrous branches. Stem erect, about a foot high, 

 succulent, branched, somewhat zig-zag, leafy, smooth, except a hairy 

 line on one side, and slightly striated. Leaves smooth, dark green, 

 paler on the under side, with a mid-rib and branched lateral veins, the 

 upper ones nearly sessile, the lower ou channeled footstalks, with short 



