600 ORDER 102. POLYGONACE^E. 



spreading, leafy, with remote axillary verticils, the highest leafless; pedicels shortei 

 than the small fruit calyx ; valves ovate-oblong, blunt, all grain -bearing. 2f Ditches 

 and wet places, N. States, Can. St. 2 to 3f high. Lower Ivs. on long petioles. 

 Grains large, red. May. Eur. (R. acutus Sm.) 



8 R. sanguineus L. RED-VEINED DOCK. Lvs. lance-oblong wavy, acuminate, 

 obtuse at base, or the lower cordate, mostly with red veins ; pan. leafless except 

 at base, whorls distant ; pedicels shorter than fruit calyx ; valves small, obovaie- 

 obiong, obtuse, 1 or 2 of them grain-bearing. Waste places, N. States and Can. 

 St. reddish, 2 to 3f high. Jl. Eur. In .3. VIRIDIS the veins are green. 



9 R. obtusifolius L. Lower Ivs. ovate obtuse, cordate, wavy on the margin, upper 

 lance-oblong, acute or acuminate at each end, all petiolate ; panicle leafy, whorls 

 distant ; pedicels as long as the fruit calyx ; valves hastate-ovate, with 3 or 4 spread- 

 ing, subulate teeth on each side, one valve chiefly grain-bearing. N. Eng., Mid. 

 and "W. States. A weed as unwelcome as the first, in fields, door-yards, &c. 

 St. 2 to 3f high. Lvs. large (6 to 12' by 3 to 8'), sometimes red-veined. JL 

 Eur. 



10 R. maritimus L. GOLDEN DOCK. Lvs. long-lanceolate, the lower abrupt at 

 base, the upper attenuate-acute at each end; whorls dense-flowered, the lower sub- 

 distinct, with linear bracts, upper confluent; pedicels filiform, longer than fruit 

 calyx; valves rhombic-ovate, bearing 2 long, bristly teeth each side, with an acu- 

 minate point, all grain-bearing. Borders of brackish waters, Mass, to S. Car. 

 Low (If) and much branched. Calyx in fruit yellowish green, densely clustered. 

 Jl. (R. persicarioidcs Hook.) 



11 R. pulcher L. Lower Ivs. oblong, cordate, often fiddle-shaped, upper lanceo- 

 late, acute, obtuse at base; panicle leafy, whorls distant; pedicels shorter than 

 fruit calyx, thickened; valves ovate-oblong, unequally grain-bearing, each with 

 several straight, strong lateral teeth. if About Charleston, S. C. (Elliott). Jn. 

 Jl. Eur. 



12 R. Acetoseila L. FIELD SORREL. SHEEP SORREL. Lvs. oblanceolate-has- 

 tate, about as long as tho petioles, tho auricles divaricate, oblong, a third as long 

 as the blade, in tho upper Ivs. smaller or wanting; fls. dioecious, valves not increas- 

 ing in fruit, nor grain bearing. 2| A common weed in pastures and waste grounds 

 throughout tho U. S., preferring dry, hard soils. St. 6' to If high, leafy. Lvs. 

 very acid, but pleasant to tho taste. Fls. small, red or reddish, collected in pan- 

 icled racemes, tho valves destitute of granules. Stamens and styles on separate 

 plants. Jn. Aug. 



13 R. Engelmanni Lcdeb. Lvs. lanceolate or linear, hastate, the lower 2 or 3 

 times shorter than the long petioles, the auricles very small, acutish, many times 

 shorter than the blade ; panicles entirely leafless ; fls. direcious ; valves increas- 

 ing in fruit, orbicular-cordate, grainless. If Ga., Fla. to Tex., also Mo. Sts. 1 to 

 2f high, much furrowed. Lvs. pale beneath. Fls. purple. (R. hastatulus Baldw. 

 nee Campd.) 



5. THYSANEL'LA, Gray. Calyx colored, 5-parted, lobes all erect, 

 the two outer cordate-sagittate at base, the 3 inner smaller, pectinate- 

 fimbriate ; stamens 8 ; styles 3 ; achenia 3-anglcd, acuminate. A 

 smooth, erect herb, with the habit of Polygonella. (Polvgonum, Ell.) 

 T. fimbriata Gray. Pino barrens, Ga. and Fla. St. 2 to 3f high, terete, branched. 



Sheaths truncate, cylindric, entire, striatc. fringed with long, soft, white bristle?, 

 bearing the leaf at top. Lvs. linear, parallel- veined, acute, 1 to 2' long. Fls. in 

 crowded, panicled spikes. Bracts (sheaths) obliquely truncate, tipped with a long 

 awn, 1-Howered. Cal. white, tinged with roso color. Jl. Oct. 



6. POLYGONEL'LA, MX. (Lat. diminutive, implying a little or 

 dwarf Polygonum.) Calyx 5-scpalcd, colored, persistent and withering, 

 erect-spreading, or at length the 3 inner sepals increasing and conni- 

 vent ; stamens 8, included ; styles 3 or almost wanting ; achenia 3-cor- 

 uered, naked or inclosed in the 3 inner sepals become scarious valves ; 



