THE KHTTBAEB FAMILY. 137 



7. Sheep's Sokrel — {Riimex Acetosella.) 



Dry pastures and hedgebanks, very common. Fl. May — July. 



Curtis, ii. 321 ; E. B. xxiv. 1674. 

 The stalks and leaves often turn to a bt-ight red in the decUne of the year. 



8. Bistort — [Polygonum Bistdrta.) 



Abundant in moist meadows on every side of Manchester. Very 

 fine in Clayton Vale and at Gatley Carrs. Fl. May, June. 

 Curtis, i. 92 ; E. B. viii. 500 ; Baxter i. 5. 

 The leaves, boiled like spinach, make an excellent green dinner vegetable. 



9. Knot-weed — {Polygonum aviculdre.) 



Everywhere in waste ground. Fl. May — September. Annual. 

 Curtis, i. 27 ; E. B. xviii. 1252. 



10. Buckwheat — {Polygonum Fagopyrum.) 



Often among vetches sown as a crop, and occasionally in cultivated 

 land, as a relic or descendant of plants similarly introduced. Frequently 

 sown for the use of game. Very fine at Withenshaw in 1858. 

 Fl. July — September. Annual. 



E. B. XV. 1044. 



This is the plant which yields the well-known " buckwheat flour," so valuable 

 in northern latitudes. 



11. Twining Persicakia — {Polygonum Convolvulus.) 



Hedges and cornfields, common everywhere. When among grain, 

 it binds the straws together as if with string, constituting one of the 

 most mischievous kinds of " tares." Fl. July — September. Annual. 

 Curtis, ii. 249 ; E. B. xiv. 941. 



12, Amphibious Persicarta — {Polygonum amphihium.) 



Ponds and lakes, frequent on the west, and in profusion in many 

 places on the south-side of Manchester. The water at Lymm, espe- 

 cially at the upper end, is covered with floating islands of this 

 charming aquatic, the pink flowers rising four or five inches above 

 the surface. Fl. July. August. 



