RUMEX.] POLYGONS^. 311 



SKCTION* 1. Lap'athum, Mdssn. Leaves not hastate. Flowers 2-sexual 

 (monoecious in R. cdpinus). Inner sepals coriaceous in fruit. 

 * Inner fruiting sepals strongly toothed. 



1. R. obtusifo iius, L. ; radical leaves oblong-ovate cordate obtuse, 

 panicle leafy below, inner fruiting sepals elongate triangular obtuse shortly 

 strongly toothed at the base, upper with an ovoid tubercle. 



Fields, waste grounds, &c.; ascends to 1,600 ft. in N. of England ; fl. Aug.- 

 Sept. Perennial, 2-3 ft., stem stout and leaves beneath puberulous. Leaves 

 6-12 in., subacute or obtuse, margin crenulate waved, upper oblong-lanceo- 

 late ; petiole rather slender. Panicle narrow ; pedicels J-twice as long as 

 the reticulate fruiting sepals, 4-J in. ; tubercle red. DISTRIB. Europe, 

 N. Africa, Siberia, W. Asia to N.W. India ; introd. in N. America. 



2. R. acu'tus, L.; radical leaves linear or oblong-lanceolate waved, 

 panicle leafy below, inner fruiting sepals triangular or cordate with short 

 broad teeth near the top, upper with an ovoid or lanceolate tubercle. A'. 

 pratensis, Mert. and Koch. 



Roadsides and waste places from Aberdeen southwards ; ascending to 1,200ft. 

 in N. of England ; fl. June-July. Similar to R. obtnsifolius, but leaves 

 narrower, and fruiting inner sepals much broader, with more and shorter 

 teeth. Syme, following Koch, is disposed to regard this as a hybrid between 

 R. crispus and obtusifolius. It. compersus, Hartm., which has more crisped 

 leaves, otherwise agrees with this ; it was found in Kinross-shire by Dr. Walker 

 Arnott, who suspected it to be a hybrid between R. obtusifolius and aqua- 

 ticiis. DISTRIB. Europe from the Alps northwards, Spain. 



3. R. pul'cher, L. ; leaves oblong-cordate or fiddle-shaped obtuse, upper 

 acute, panicle leafy to the top, inner fruiting sepals oblong deeply-toothed 

 to above the middle, tubercle oblong often muricate. Fiddle Dock. 

 Roadsides and waste places in dry soil from Notts and Lincoln southwards 5 fl. 



June-Oct. Biennial or perennial, glabrous or sparingly pubescent. Stem 

 6-24 in., flexuous ; branches slender, spreading, tips often decurved. Leaves 

 3-6 in., soon withering, always contracted above the base, crenulate ; 

 petiole slender. Panicle with spreading branches and remote whorls ; 

 pedicels stout, shorter than the fruiting sepals, jointed below the middle. 

 i'l-'i'iiing sepals A in., pale, obtuse truncate or cuneate at the base, deeply 

 pitted and reticulate ; teeth short, straight. Fruit ^ in. DlSTElB. Europe 

 from Belgium southwards, N. Africa, W. Asia. 



4. R. xnarit'imus, L. ; leaves linear- or oblong-lanceolate, panicle 

 leafy to the top, inner fruiting sepals triangular or rhomboid acuminate, 



. teeth 2-4 very long, tubercle linear-oblong veiy tumid. Golden Dock. 



Marshes, &c. rare, from Durham southwards ; Co. Dublin in Ireland ; fl. 

 July- Aug. Biennial, puberulous, yellow-green. Stem 1-2 ft.; branches 

 ascending. Leaves 3-10 in., acute obtuse or cuneate at the base, shortly 

 petioled, margins slightly waved. Panicle with spreading densely flowering 

 branches, whorls often confluent ; pedicels jointed close to the base, very 

 variable in length, rarely twice as long as the fruiting sepals, which are 

 reticulate, -,^-j in., orange-yellow, spines as long; tubercle often almost 

 concealing the sepal. Fruit small, pale chesnut. DISTRIB. Europe, Siberia, 

 Dahuria, W. Asia to N.W. India, N. America. 



Sub-sp. MARIT'IMUS proper ; whorls confluent, inner fruiting sepals triangular, 

 teeth often longer than the sepal. 



