POLYGONACEJE. 69 



but this requires confirmation. In Ireland it is not unfrequcnt, and 

 is found all round the island. 



England, Scotland, Ireland. Annual or Biennial. Summer, 



Autumn. 



Very similar to the form littorale of P. aviculare, but usually with 

 the leaves more approximate, the ochreas broader and more funnel- 

 shaped, the silvery portion longer and very conspicuous towards the 

 apex of the branches. Leaves f to 1^ inch long, variable in breadth ; 

 the specimens I have seen from the east coast having them strapshaped- 

 elliptical and acute, while in Irish and Jersey specimens they are oval- 

 elliptical and subacute, in all cases making no great angle with the 

 stem, and those at the extremity of the branches nearly erect. The 

 flowers are usually 3 together. Perianth ^ inch long, usually green ; 

 the segments with red, more rarely rose colour or white, margins, some- 

 times crimson throughout. Nut with the point projecting far beyond 

 the perianth, highly polished, and appearmg shagreened only under a 

 powerful lens : this is the only certain distinction between this plant 

 and P. aviculare. The plant is pale green, sometimes slightly glaucous. 



Mr. Bentham appears to consider this rather a young and luxuriant 

 state than a variety of P. maritimum, but I have often seen the full- 

 grown stem in autumn only 3 inches long, when the plant was neither 

 young nor luxuriant. Mr. H. C. Watson has cultivated P. Raii and 

 P. maritimum, and found them remain distinct. 



On the east coast of Scotland this plant is always annual, but in 

 the south and west it seems to be biennial, possibly even perennial. 



Bay's K7iotgrass, 



SPECIES VI.— POLYGONUM MARITIMUM. Linn. 

 Plate MCCXXXIII. 

 Billot, Fl. Gall, et Germ. Exsicc. No. 632. 



Annual, bieimial, or perennial. Stem herbaceous, or in old plants 

 woody at the base, branched. Leaves shortly stalked or the upper 

 ones sessile, coriaceous, with reflexed margins, oval or oblong-oval or 

 oblong- elliptical, entire, attenuated at the base, subacute, with the 

 veins distinctly raised beneath. Ochrese chestnut at the base, with 6 

 to 12 strong generally forked nerves, silvery white and at length 

 laciniate at the apex. Flowers in lateral fascicles of 2 to 4, or 

 rarely solitary, combined into terminal simple interrupted spikelike 

 racemes, leafy throughout, the lower fascicles so far separate that they 

 scarcely form part of the spike. Pedicels erect, usually a little longer 

 than the nut, articulated immediately below the base of the perianth. 

 Perianth coloured or subherbaceous, scarcely enlarged m fruit, attenu- 



