314 POLYGONS^. 



3. OXY'RIA, Hill. MOUNTAIN SORREL. 



Characters of JRumex, but sepals 4 ; anthers versatile ; ovary com- 

 pressed ; stigmas 2 ; fruit lenticular, broadly winged, and embryo axile. 

 DISTRIB. Arctic regions and Alps of the N. temp, zone ; species 1. 

 ETYM. <5|i/s, from the acidity of the leaves. 



1. O. renifor mis, Hook. ; leaves ovate-cordate or reniform. 

 Mountain rocks and streams, Wales, Yorkshire, and northwards ; ascending 

 to near 4,000ft. in the Highlands ; S.W. of Ireland, rare ; fl. July-Aug. 

 Perennial, glabrous, rather fleshy, acid. Rootstock branched, tufted. >'/,. 

 6-18 in., stout, subsimple. Leaves, radical many, ^-f in. broad, long-petioled, 

 rounded or retuse, rarely 3-lobed or subhastate ; cauline solitary. Panicle 

 slender, leafless, lax-flowered ; pedicels slender, jointed at the middle, 

 thickened at the top. Outer sepals spreading or reflexed ; inner i' n in., 

 spathulate, 3-5-nerved. Fruit J in. diam. ; wing orbicular-cordate, mem- 

 branous, veined, top notched. An excellent potherb and antiscorbutic. 



ORDER LXI. AMARANTHA'CEJE. 



Herbs or shrubs. Leaves opposite or alternate, simple, usually quite 

 entire, exstipulate. Flowers small, 1-2-sexual ; bract persistent, brac- 

 teoles 2 deciduous. Sepals 3-5, subequal, scarious, persistent, imbricate in 

 bud. Petals 0. Stamens 3-5, hypogynous, opposite the sepals, st;mii- 

 nodes 3-5 or 0, filaments free or connate, filiform or dilated ; anthers 

 1-2-celled, fixed by the back. Ovary free, 1 -celled, compressed ; style or 

 simple, stigmas 1-3 filiform or capitate ; ovules 1 or more, basal, campylo- 

 tropous. Fruit usually a membranous utricle. Seeds vertical, renit rin. 

 testa crustaceous shining, albumen floury ; embryo annular or curved, 

 radicle next the hilum. DISTRIB. Tropics, rarely in temp, regions ; 

 genera 45 ; species about 400. AFFINITIES. With Chenopodiaccce and 

 Paronychiece. PROPERTIES. Unimportant. 



1. AMARAN'THUS, L. 



Herbs. Leaves alternate, apiculate. Flowers monoecious or polygamous, 

 usually in cymose clusters. Sepals 3-5, equal, erect. Stamens 3-5, fila- 

 ments free ; staminodes ; anthers 2-celled. Style 0, stigmas 2-3 subulate. 

 Utricle ovoid. Embryo annular. DISTRIB. Tropical or subtropical ; species 

 about 12. ETYM. &n<ipa.vOos, unfading, from the persistent perianths. 



A. BLI'TUM, L. ; leaves ovate or obovate, flowers 3-merous. 

 Cultivated ground in the W. of London, &c., not even naturalized ; fl. July- 

 Aug. Annual, glabrous. Stem 1-2 ft., decumbent, branched, angular. Leaves 

 1-3 in., long-petioled, dark green, tip rounded. Flowers minute ; clusters 

 axillary and in interrupted cymes. Sejxtls oblong, mucronate, exceeding the 

 bracts, shorter than the utricle. DISTRIB. Warm climates. 



ORDER LXI I. CHENOPODIACEJE. 



Herbs or shrubs. Leaves simple, alternate, exstipulate. Flowers 

 1-2-sexual, small, regular, often dimorphic ; bracts 1-3 or 0. Calyx 

 inferior, of 3-5 free or connate sepals, imbricate in bud. Petals 0. 

 Stamens usually 5, opposite the sepals, perigynous or hypogynous ; 



