52 ENGLISH BOTANY. 



petioles, acute, very finely repand-creiuilate and flat at the margins ; 

 lower and middle stem leaves similar but smaller, less gradually 

 attenuated, and with shorter petioles ; leaves at the base of the whorls 

 strapshaped-elliptical or strapshaped. Branches of the panicle ascend- 

 ing-erect, nearly leafless. Pedicels longer than the fruit petals, articu- 

 lated below the middle, spreading half-way round the stem. Flowers 

 l)erfect. Enlarged petals ovate-triangular, acuminated, wedgeshaped- 

 truncate at the base, acute, entire or faintly denticulate, rather strongly 

 reticulate, each of them with a lanceolate-oblong tubercle. 



In ditches and by the sides of streams and ponds. Frequent and 

 generally distributed in England, though rather local. Rare in Scot- 

 land, Avhere it certainly occurs in the island of Islay; it has been 

 reported from numerous other stations in Scotland, but these require 

 to be confirmed by competent authority. Rather local, but generally 

 distributed in Ireland. 



England, Scotland, Ireland. Perennial. Late Summer, Autumn. 



Rootstock thick, black. Stem erect, furrowed, 3 to G feet high, 

 b)-anched in the upper part. Radical leaves, including the petiole, 

 1 to 3 feet long, erect, gradually attenuated towards the base and 

 apex. Petioles flat on the upper face and not winged at the margins, 

 convex and furrowed beneath. Ochreae at length tearing into slender 

 lacinete. Panicle very large, pyramidal-fusiform, rather dense. Whorls 

 separated from each other by a distance about equal to the length of 

 the pedicels, the upper ones on the stem and on each branch leafless. 

 Pedicels unequal in length, the longest twice as long as the fruit petals. 

 Fruit petals ^ to f inch long, reddish or olive-faAvn colour ; the two outer 

 ones somewhat channeled and concave, the inner one nearly flat ; all of 

 them with a red or yellowish white tubercle nearly half as long as the 

 enlarged petal, the one on the flat petal generally smaller than those 

 on the two channeled ones; the veins prominent and forming a raised 

 network on all of them. Nut ^ inch long, fawn, colour, shining, 

 acuminated at each end, triquetrous, two of the faces channeled, the 

 third one nearly flat. Leaves dull green, not shining. Plant glabrous. 



Great Water Dock. 



French, Patience a longues feuilles. German, Fluss-Ainpfer. 



This tall species of dock is very common on river banks, and has some reputation 

 as an antiscorbutic. Its root is strongly astringent, and it makes, when poAvdered, a 

 good dentifrice. It is said to be the Ilerha lirltannlca of Pliny, though certainly not 

 confined to the British Islands. 



