rOLYGONACETE. 57 



3-lobed, the central lobe increasing slightly in breadth towards tlic 

 apex, the two lateral lobes shorter and commonly standing out at 

 right angles to the middle lobe, sometimes with a projecting tooth on 

 the basal side ; stem leaves not much larger than the radical ones, the 

 longest not measuring more than 3 inches. Ochrea? at length much 

 torn and silvery white. Panicles of male flowers larger than those of 

 the female, the latter with 4 to 8 flowers in a Avhorl. Fruit petals 

 about y\y inch long, commonly red, but not membranous as in the two 

 preceding species, closely adpressed to the nut, which is with difficulty 

 extracted from them. Nut yL inch long, globular-trigonous, pale 

 yello^vish brown, smooth, shining; the faces are said, in the Flore de 

 France ( Gren. & Godr.)^ to be often tubercular, but I have never found 

 them so after the petals have been removed. Plant dark green, often 

 tinged with red in autumn. 



Sheep^s Sorrel. 



French, Patience petite oseille. German, Kleiner Arnpfer. 



This species much resembles the former, but is altogether smaller and less active in 

 its properties. 



GENUS II.—O'X.Y^IK, Hill 



Flowers perfect. Perianth herbaceous, of 4 segments in 2 rows, the 

 2 outer ones (sepals) not accrescent, the 2 inner ones (petals) becom- 

 ing slightly larger and scarious and coloured in fruit, none of them 

 with tubercles. Stamens 6 : 4 of them in 2 pairs, opposite the external 

 leaves of the perianth, the remaining 2 before the inner perianth 

 leaves; anthers versatile, movable. Styles 2, exceedingly short; 

 stigmas multifid. Fruit a lenticular broadly winged achene, much 

 longer than the inner perianth leaves. Seed compressed; albumen 

 copious, mealy; embryo situated in the axis of the albumen. 



Small perennial plants with acid juice. The leaves almost all 

 radical, roundish-reniform, and deeply cordate. Flowers in whorls 

 arranged in racemes ; which are generally combined into panicles. 



The name of this genus of plants seems to be derived from the Greek word (j'E,vq 

 (oxus), sharp, in allusion to the qualities of the species. 



SPECIES I.— OX YRI A RE N I P O RMIS. Hooh 



Plate MCCXXV. 



0. digyna, Campdera; Fries, Summ. Veg. Scand. p. 52. Koch, Syn. Fl. Germ, et Helv. 



ed. ii. p. 710. Gren. & Godr. Fl. de Fr. Vol. III. p. 34. 

 Rumex digynus, Linn. Sm. Engl. Bot. No. 910. 



Wing of the achene subcordate at the base, with a small narrow 

 notch at the apex, entire on the margin. 



VOL. VIII. I 



