390 POLYGOXACEJE. (BUCKWHEAT FAMILY.) 



3. AVICUI.AKIA. Flowers axillary, single or 2-3 together: stamens 8, rarely 

 fewer: stigmas 3, nearly sessile: ackenium 3-angled: cotyledons incumbent: albu- 

 men horny : s/ieaths scarious, 2 3-jwrted, lacerated: haves small . 



10. P. aviculare, L. Stem prostrate, diffuse, short-jointed ; leaves sessile 

 (' long), oblong-linear or lanceolate, obtuse, longer than the 3-elcft sheaths ; 

 flowers clustered, nearly sessile, greenish-white, longer than the dull achenium ; 

 stamens mostly 5. Waste places and along roads, common. Var. EKECTUM. 

 (P. crectum, L.) Stem stouter, erect or ascending, leaves larger (!' 1^' long), 

 oblong. With the preceding. Var. LITTORALE. (P. maritimum, L. P. 

 glaucum, Nutt.) Stem long (l-2), prostrate, rigid, short-jointed; leaves 

 small (4" -6"), oblong-linear, glaucous; the uppermost imbricated and scarcely 

 longer than the more conspicuous silvery sheaths ; calyx reddish-white, shorter 

 than the smooth achenium. Sea-coast sands, Georgia, and northward. 



11. P. tenue, Michx. Smooth; stem erect, branched, sharply angled, 

 slender; leaves scattered, linear, acute ; sheaths small, fringed ; flowers mostly 

 solitary, greenish-white ; achenium smooth and shining. Dry rocks in the 

 upper districts. July - Sept. (> Stem 6' - 8' high. Leaves 6" - 12" long. 



4. TOVARIA. Flowers scattered in a long and slender spike: calyx 4-parted: 

 stamens 5, included : styles 2, exserted, persistent : achenium lenticular : cotyledons 

 accumbent. 



12. P. Virginianum, L. Stem erect, smooth below ; the upper portion, 

 like the leaves and spikes, more or less hairy ; leaves large, ovate or ovate-lance- 

 olate, acute at each end ; sheaths cylindrical, hairy, fringed ; flowers greenish, 

 curved ; styles at length hooked at the apex. Dry rich soil, Florida, and 

 northward. Aug. and Sept. 1J. Plant 2 -4 high. Leaves 3' - 5' long, 

 H'-2i'wide. Spike 6' -12' long. 



5. ECHINOCAULON. Flowers in terminal clusters: calyx 4 - 5-parted : stamens 

 6 or 8: styles 2-3 : achenium lenticular or 3-angled: cotyledons accumbent. 

 Stems weak, branching, armed on the angles, petioles, $-c. with recurved prickles. 



13. P. arifolium, L. Leaves hastate, acuminate, membranaceous, mi- 

 nutely dotted and hairy, long-petioled, the lobes acute ; peduncles rather short, 

 bristly; flowers white, somewhat spiked; stamens 6 ; styles 2; achenium len- 

 ticular. Rice fields and wet places, South Carolina, and northward. June 

 Oct. Stems 2 -3 long. Leaves 3' - 4' long. Calyx often 4-parted. 



14. P. sagittatuni, L. Leaves small, sagittate, acute, short-petioled, 

 smooth ; peduncles elongated, smooth ; flowers white, capitate ; stamens 8 ; 

 styles 3; achenium 3-angled. Wet places, Florida, and northward. June- 

 Oct. (3) Stem 1 - 3 long. Leaves 1 ' - 2' long. 



6. TINIARIA. Fi'owers in axillary dusters or racemes: calyx greenish white, 

 5-/)arted, the outer lobes keeled or winged on the back : stamens 8 : styles 3, very 

 short: achenium 3-angled: cotyledons accumbent. Annuals, with twining slant 

 and cordate leaves. 



15. P. Convolvulus, L. Stem roughish, prostrate or twining, or when 

 small erect ; leaves long-petioled, sagittate-cordate, acuminate, the lobes acute or 



