260 POLYGONACE^. 



country, being often cut up in spring by late frost, and again in 

 autumn by early frost in the pride of its bloom, especially in 

 late cold localities. It enjoys a warm sunny aspect and light, 

 rich, well-drained loam, and is worthy of a good position, being 

 a gay and choice plant. It is a diffuse plant, producing nume- 

 rous flexible stems, hard, wiry, and somewhat angular. The 

 leaves are numerous and rather thickly placed alternately along 

 the stems and branches, and are obovate or oval, tapering most 

 at the base, but stalkless. The flowers are in terminal clusters, 

 fine bright blue at first, but changing aftenvards to deep violet ; 

 they appear in August, September, and October. Height 9 to 

 1 2 inches. Native of China. 



POLYGONACE^. 



Polygonum (Kiiotweed). — This is a very generally weedy 

 group, numerous in species. One or two species only are 

 worthy of a place in collections of hardy ornamental perennials, 

 on account of their pretty flowers and neat habit. The three 

 species selected below do well in any kind of well-drained soil, 

 the two last being more susceptible of injury from damp, or 

 damp and cold combined, than the first. They are propagated 

 by division. 



P. Bistorta (Snakeiaeed). — This plant is found in wild places 

 in many parts of Britain, preferring chiefly moist places, as 

 about the margins of streams ; and it is more useful for intro- 

 ducing into such places than for the herbaceous border, unless 

 the collection is an extensive one. It is not averse to shade, and 

 may be usefully introduced into moist woods. Propagate by 

 division. The stems are simple, erect, terminating in a longish 

 cylindrical spike of pink flowers very densely packed. The 

 leaves at the roots and base of the stem are large broadly 

 lance-shaped ; those on the stems are similar in shape, but 

 smaller, and often heart-shaped and almost stalkless. Flowers 

 in early summer, lasting often late in moist places. Height 

 about 18 inches or 2 feet. 



P. Brunonis.— This plant is creeping in habit, with numerous 

 close-lying stems, clothed with lance-shaped toothed evergreen 

 leaves, tapering sharply at both ends, on longish stalks. The 

 flowers are deep rose in dense but irregular spikes, supported 

 on stems about 9 inches high ; they appear rather late in 

 summer, and continue late. Native of the Himalayas. 



