372 POLYGONACEiE. (BUCKWHEAT FAMILY.) 



in their place); leaves lanceolate. — Alpine summits of the White Mountains, 

 New Hampshire, shore of Lake Superior, and northward. (Eu.) 



§ 2. AMBLYOGONON, Meisn. — Calyx petal-like, 5-parted: stamens 7 : style 2- 

 clefi: stigmas capitate: achenium lenticular (cotyledons incumbent, linear : albumen 

 floury) : annuals : flowers crowded in linear-cylindrical terminal spikes. 



2. P. orientals, L. (Prince's Feather.) Tall, branching, rather 

 hairy ; leaves ovate, pointed, petioled ; upper sheaths salver-form ; spikes nu- 

 merous, nodding; the large bright rose-colored flowers open. — Sparingly 

 escaped from cultivation into waste grounds. Aug., Sept. (Adv. from Eu.) 



§3. PEKSICAPJA, Tourn. — Calyx petal-like, 5-parted: stamens 4-8: styles 

 2-3 or 2-3-cleft: stigmas capitate, often small: achenium lenticular, or (ichen 

 there are 3 stigmas) 3-sided (cotyledons accumbent, narrow: albumen hard and 

 horny) : roots fibrous: sheaths cylindrical, truncate: flowers crowded in spikes or 

 spike-like racemes. 



* Sheaths naked : styles 2, or 2-cleft: achenium flat or lenticular. 

 -i- Stamens 5 : spike mostly solitary, very dense : flowers rose-red : root perennial. 



3. P. slilBithiMum, L. (Water Persicaria.) Leaves elliptical- 

 lanceolate nr oblong, pointed or obtusish, either narrowed or rather heart-shaped 

 at the base. — Var. 1. aquaticum, L., is floating or procumbent in soft mud, 

 rooting, and nearly smooth, as well as the long-petioled often obtuse floating 

 leaves. (P. coccineum, Bigel. P. fluitans, Eaton.) — Var. 2. terrestre is 

 more or less hairy or bristly, with an upright or ascending stem, growing in 

 marshy or muddy places ; the leaves acute or pointed, upper very short-pctioled. 

 — Ponds or their low borders; common, especially northward. July, Aug. — 

 Very variable in foliage, &c. : spike oblong, l'-3' long, $'-§' thick. (Eu.) 



■h- -i- Stamens 6 or 8 : spikes somewhat panicled, oblong or linear, densely flowered : 

 flowers rose or flesh-color : root annual. 



4. P. nodosum, Pers., var. sBicsaxnsituna. Stem upright (2°-4° 

 high), smooth below, the branches above, peduncles, §-c. roughened with scattered 

 sessile glands; leaves rough on the midrib and margins, elongated-lanceolate 

 (4' -10' long, l'-3' wide below), tapering gradually from towards the base to a 

 narrow point; spikes linear, nodding, becoming slender (l^'-3' long); stamens 

 6; style 2-parted, both included; achenium with concave sides. (P. incarnatum, 

 Ell. P. lapathifolium, Amer. auth.) — Moist places, Conn. Ac, to Kentucky, 

 and common southward. Aug. - Sept. — Sheaths rather long, perfectly smooth 

 and naked on the margin. — This is not P. lapathifolium, bat falls under P. no- 

 dosum as the species are lately distinguished by Meisner : ou. plant is appar- 

 ently indigenous, and so different from the European that it should perhaps be 

 admitted as a species under Elliott's name. 



5. P. Pennsylv&nicum, L. Stem upright (l°-3° high), smooth 

 below, the branches above, and especially the peduncles, beset with bristly-stalked 

 glands ; leaves lanceolate, a little rough on the midrib and margins ( 1 }/ - 5' long) ; 

 spikes oblong, obtuse (l'-2' long), erect, thick; stamens mostly 8, som-wliat exserted; 

 style 2-cleft; achenium with flat sides. — Moist soil, in open waste places; com- 

 mon. July -Oct. 



