310 POL YGONEJE. [POLYCC >.vr.M . 



TAR. 1, vulga'tum; leaves rather thin, fruit dull not exceeding the sepals. 

 VAR. 2, litiora'le, Link, (sp.) ; leaves rather fleshy, fruit more shining slightly 

 exceeding the sepals. Littoral. The passage to P. maritimum. 



10. P. marit imum, L. ; prostrate, nerves of the leaves reticulate 

 beneath, of the stipules few or many, sepals shorter than the fruit. 

 Sea-shores, from Forfar and the Clyde southwards ; fl. July-Sept. Very 



similar to P. aviculare, but perennial, much stouter, more rigid and woody, 

 colour darker when dry ; leaves thicker, margins recurved, often glaucous 

 below ; stipules larger more scarious and nerved ; flowers and fruit much 

 larger. DISTRIB. France, Spain, the Mediterranean, W. Asia, N. America. 



Sub-sp. MARIT'IMUM proper ; leaves usually spreading fleshy glaucous beneath, 

 margins re volute, stipules with many often-forked nerves, sepals broader. 

 Channel Is., Hampshire (probably extinct). 



Sub-sp. RA'II, Bab. (sp.) ; upper leaves usually erect not fleshy or glaucous 

 beneath, margins flat, stipules with few simple nerves. P. Roberti, Loisel. 

 in part. Habit and foliage of P. aviculare, fruit of P. maritimum. 



SECTION 4. Tinia'ria, Meissn. Annual (the British species), usually 

 twining. Leaves cordate or sagittate ; stipules truncate, mouth entire. 

 Flowers in racemose clusters. Sepals enlarging. Stamens 8. Styles 3, 

 united. Fruit 3-quetrous ; embryo lateral, cotyledons narrow, flat. 



11. P. Convolvulus, L. ; leaves cordate-sagittate, 3 outer sc]i;ils 

 obtusely keeled rarely winged, pedicels short jointed above the middle, 

 fruit dull striate granulate. Black Bindweed. 



Fields and waste places, ascending to upwards of 1,000 ft. in the Highlands ; 

 fl. July-Sept. Root fibrous. Stem 1-4 ft., angular, twining, climbing or 

 prostrate, slender, pubentlous at the angles. Leaves 1^-4 in., petioles 

 shorter slender, gradually acuminate, lateral angles obtuse or acute, eglan- 

 dular, puberal ous beneath ; stipules short. Racemes erect, terminal and 

 axillary, slender, pedicels recurved. Sepals 5, obtuse, green, margins 

 white, 3 outer rough at the back, at length 1 in. and covering the fruit. 

 DISTBIB. N. temp, and Arctic regions of the Old World ; introd. in the New. 



VAR. 1, Con col ail >ut proper; clusters 4-6-flowered, outer sepals obtusely 

 keeled in fruit. VAR. 2, pseudo-dumeto'rum, Wats.; clusters 5-10-flowered, 

 flowers fewer, outer sepals broadly winged in fruit. 



12. P. dumeto'rum, L. ; leaves cordate-sagittate, 3 outer sepals with 

 broad membranous wings, pedicels very slender jointed below the middle, 

 fruit smooth highly polished. 



Hedges and thickets in the S. counties of England, from Monmouth to Herts 

 southwards, rare, soon disappearing; fl. July- Aug. Habit of P. O,,,W- 

 vulus, but pedicels capillary (often J in. ) and seed polished. The stems are 

 described as terete, but I find them as much angled as in P. Convolvulus. 

 DISTRIB. Europe, Siberia, W. Asia to N.W. India. 

 2. RUM EX, L. DOCK. 



Herbs. Rootetock stout, tapering into the root ; biennial or perennial. 

 Stems usually grooved. Leaves alternate ; stipules tubular. Flowers 1-2- 

 sexual, in panicled or racemed whorls. Sepals 6, 3 inner enlarging. 

 Stamens 6 ; anthers basifixed, erect. Ovary 3-quetrous ; styles 3, filiform, 

 stigmas penicillate. Fruit 3-quetrous. Embryo lateral. DISTRIB. All 

 temp, climates; species about 50. ETYM. The old Latin name. 



