80 ENGLISH BOTANY. 



to it, we might welcome its presence in our pastures. The leaves were at one time 

 thought to render any who drank a decoction of them safe from all infection, even 

 the plague. The root contains a large quantity of tannin, which renders it 

 highly astringent. This property gave rise to its medicinal reputation, and it is even 

 now regarded by some as a valuable remedy in hsemorrhage and diarrhoea, and like- 

 wise as a tonic, in combination with gentian, for intermittent fevers. Though very 

 astringent and bitter to the taste, the root is farinaceous, and contains a large quantity 

 of starch, which is edible and nutritious after being steeped in water. A considerable 

 quantity of Bistort thus prepared is consumed in Russia and Siberia in times of 

 scai'city instead of bread. In the northern counties of England the young shoots 

 have long been known by the name of Easter-giant, and boiled for the table. Perhaps 

 it was because of its being full-grown about Easter time that the plant had the old 

 name of Passions. It was, too, called English Serpentary. The name Bistort is 

 derived from its twisted roots, lis, twice, torta, twisted ; and thence called by Turner 

 hvice tvritJien. 



SPECIES XIV.— POLYGONUM VIVAPARUM. Lhm. 



Plate MCCXLIV. 

 Billot, Fl. Gall, et Germ. Exsicc. No. 3463. 



Rootstock rather slender, woody, shortly creeping, slightty branched ; 

 branches termmatmg in enlarged tubers. Stem erect, quite simple. 

 Radical leaves on long stalks, elliptical-oblong or strapshaped-elliptical, 

 attenuated nearly equally at both ends, but rather more so at the apex, 

 very slightly decurrent on the petiole; stem leaves similar to the 

 radical ones, but narrower and on shorter stalks. Ochrea3 tight, not 

 fringed. Raceme spikelike, cylindrical, erect, solitary at the extremity 

 of the stem, rather dense, continuous, or slightly interrupted but not 

 leafy at the base, with sessile bulbilles instead of flowers on the lower 

 part of the rachis. Peduncles not glandular : pedicels about as long 

 as the nut, articulated immediately below the perianth, not glandular. 

 Perianth coloured, without glands or prominent veins. Stamens 6 to 8. 

 Styles 3, free to the base. Nut very rarely matured, shorter than the 

 perianth, oval, triquetrous, acuminated at each end, smooth, shining. 

 Leaves glaucous beneath. 



On ledges of rocks and in damp places, principally by the sides 

 of streams ; frequent in movmtainous districts. It occurs in Car- 

 narvon, York, Durham, and Westmoreland, and is common in the 

 Scotch Highlands, extending north to Shetland. Very rare in 

 Ireland, where it is found only on P)en Bulben, co. Sligo; and Glenerg, 

 CO. Leitrim. 



England, Scotlatid, Ireland. Perennial. Summer. 



Stems G to 18 inches high. Radical leaves on stalks 2 to G inches 



