ELEAGNACKTE. 81 



long; lamina 2 to 4 inches, variable in the proportions of the length 

 to the breadth, the latter usually ^ inch, whatever the former may be, 

 margins narrowly revolute, even when full-grown ; stem leaves few. 

 Ochrcai very long, continued far above the base of the leaf on the 

 opposite side of the stem. Racemes 1 to 4 inches long, with scarious 

 cuspidate bracts not surrounding the rachis, the lower part of which 

 has minute ovoid acuminate purple bulbilles, the upper part cream- 

 coloured or flesh-coloured flowers, with the perianth about }. inch long. 

 Stamens and styles exserted. Nut about y^^^ inch long, pale brown. 

 Leaves subcoriaceous, deep green, and slightly shining above, dim and 

 irlaucous beneath. 



Viviparous Bistort. 



French, BenoitSe vivipare. German, Spitzlcelmender Knoterich. 



& 



EXCLUDED SPECIES. 



RUMEX RUPESTRIS. LeGall. 



Professor Babington says, " a plant found at St. Aubin's, Jersey, is 

 probably " this. I am unacquainted with the supposed species, of 

 which I have seen no specimens. I can see but little in the descrip- 

 tion to separate it from R. conglomeratus. 



RUMEX HISPANICUS. Koch. 



This plant is described by Smith under the name of R. Acetosa in 

 Eng. FL, vol. ii. p. 196, no doubt from a cultivated example. The 

 plate in Eng. Bot. seems to me the true R. Acetosa. 



ORDER LXIIL— E LEAGNACEiE. 



Shrubs or small trees with the branches sometimes spinous. Leaves 

 alternate or opposite, shortly stalked, simple, entire, or dentate, com- 

 monly clothed beneath with peltate scarious entire or stellately-cleft 

 scales. Flowers commonly unisexual and dioecious, rarely perfect 

 or polygamous, regular, axillary or in lateral clusters or in catkins 

 or panicles. Perianth single, more or less coloured on the inside; 

 2- or 4-partite in the male flowers, tubular and 2- or 4-toothed in the 

 female — in the species with perfect flowers, bellshaped, with the limb 

 4- or 6-cleft. Stamens 3 to 8, inserted on the edge of the glandulai* 

 prolongation of the disk ; anthers nearly sessile, 2-celled, opening 



VOL. VIII. M 



