POLYGONATUM 



THE BULB BOOK 



POLYGONUM 



P. officinale (P. vulgare ; Conval- 

 laria Polygonatum).k pretty species 

 found wild sometimes on wooded 

 limestone cliffs in the British Islands. 

 It grows 6 to 12 ins. high, and has 

 oblong stem-clasping leaves 3 to 4 ins. 

 long. The greenish - white flowers 

 appear in May and June, and are 

 succeeded by bluish - black berries. 

 The variety macrandhuin from Japan 

 has larger flowers and grows taller. 

 (Bot. Mag. t. 6133.) 



FIQ. 295. Polygonatum multijlorum. (J.) 



P. oppositifolium ( Convallaria 

 oppositifolia ). A fine Himalayan 

 plant, 2 to 4 ft. high, having opposite 

 oblong pointed leaves, and corymbs 

 of greenish-white flowers ribbed with 

 red, drooping from the stems in April 

 and May (Bot. Mag. t. 3529). 



The variety albo - vittatum has 

 reddish stems, and leaves striped 

 with ivory or yellowish- white. Scarlet 

 berries succeed the blossom .in due 

 course. 



This species is practically hardy, 

 but may require a little covering of 

 litter or bracken in severe winters. 



P. punctatum. This is found wild 

 on the Himalayas at an altitude of 

 7000 to 11,000 ft. It has angular, 

 furrowed stems 1 to 2 ft high, oblong 

 lance-shaped leaves 2 to 3 ins. long, 

 and greenish - white flowers dotted 

 with lilac in May and June. (Bot. 

 Mag. t. 5061.) 



P. roseum. A variable species from 

 Central Siberia, with furrowed stems 



2 to 3 ft. high, narrow lance-shaped 

 leaves 3 to 5 ins. long, opposite or in 

 whorls, and pairs of rosy cylindrical 

 flowers in May and June (Bot. Mag. 

 t. 5049). 



P. verticillatum (Convallaria ver- 

 ticillata). A rare British plant, 2 to 



3 ft. high, with whorls of narrow 

 lance - shaped leaves fringed with 

 hairs on the margins. The greenish 

 flowers appear in June and July, and 

 are followed by red berries later on. 

 (Lodd. Bot. Cab. 1. 1108.) 



POLYGONUM (poly, many; gonu, 

 a knee, a joint; in reference to the 

 numerous joints in the stems), KNOT 

 GRASS, KNOT WEED. Nat. Ord. Poly- 

 gonaceae. A large genus of coarse- 

 growing but ornamental plants, some 

 species of which have fibrous, others 

 those mentioned below tuberous 

 or rhizomatous root - stocks. They 

 flourish in ordinary garden soil, some- 

 times so freely that they are apt to 

 invade the space desired for choicer 

 plants. Propagation is easily managed 

 by division of the root-stocks, if 

 necessary. 



P. amplexicaule. A fine Hima- 

 layan species, 2 to 3 ft. high, having 

 fleshy rhizomes, heart-shaped, pointed, 

 stem-clasping leaves, and racemes of 

 bright rose-red or white blossoms 

 during the summer months (Bot. 

 Reg. 1839, t. 46 ; Bot. Mag. t. 6500). 



P. Bistorta. This is the " Bistort " 

 or " Snake - root " of our British 

 meadows and pastures. It has 



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