THE PINK PERSICARIA. 35 



inconspicuous in themselves, are arranged in a dense spike 

 at the termination of the various branches. These spikes 

 are cylindrical in form, about an inch or so in length, and 

 have often a small subordinate mass of blossoms at some 

 little distance below them, though this is not by any 

 means a constant feature. The general tint of the spike is 

 ordinarily a greenish red, as the general mass is a dull 

 green in colour, but the tips of the flowers are of a clear 

 but light rose tint ; colours that at a little distance blend 

 together into a somewhat dull tint, inclining more or less 

 towards green or red, according to the development or 

 non-development of the blossoms. The perianth is com- 

 posed of five segments, while the styles are usually two 

 in number, and the stamens six, a somewhat unusual 

 numerical combination. At times the styles vary to three 

 in either case, however, in numerical proportion with the 

 stamens, but out of harmony with the five segments of 

 the perianth. 



The persicaria is a plant subject to very considerable 

 variations, though these variations, consisting as they 

 generally do in the greater or less density of the blossoms 

 on the spikes, their more or less pink colour, and the 

 degree of development of the stems, or their ruddiness of 

 hue are, after all, of a nature that need scarcely puzzle 

 even the novice in his attempt to name the plant. 



Of the other species of the genus we need refer but to 

 a few. The knot grass (P. aviculare) is a small plant, 

 often trailing, but at times erect, the little pink flowers 

 in clusters in the axils of the leaves, the leaves an inch 

 or so in length. It is an abundant plant in corn-fields and 

 on waste land. The climbing buckwheat (P. convolvulus) is 

 another very common species; its long stems, encircling 



