BUCKWHEAT FAMILY. Polygonacese. 



h ih d-i a ^ perennial species with broad-arrow- 

 Tearthumb head-shaped leaves, and a ridged reclining 

 Polygonum stem beset with fine teeth curved back- 

 arifolium ward. Leaves long-stemmed, and prickle 



lh nerved. Insignificant pink or greenish 

 flower-clusters. In pulling up the weed 

 the thumb and ringers are apt to be torn 

 with the saw-edged stems, hence the common name. 

 2-6 feet high. Common everywhere in wet soil. 



An annual species climbing over other 

 plants, with a weak four-angled reclining 

 stem beset with prickles only at the 

 angles ; the narrow-arrowhead-shaped 

 leaves, far apart, sometimes blunt-pointed, 

 short stemmed, or the smaller leaves with- 

 out stems. Flowers five-parted, pink, in 

 clusters. Common in low, wet ground, 



July- 

 September 



Arrow»Ieaved 

 Tearthumb 

 Polygonum 

 sagittatum 

 Pink 

 July- 

 September 



small dense 

 everywhere. 



A perfectly smooth species, with slender 

 Climbing False clim bing, reddish stem, arrowhead-shaped 

 Buckwheat , « » . - ., . 



Polygonum du- leaves, and leafy flower-spikes, the tiny 



metorum var. 

 scandens 

 Green-white, 

 pink 

 July- 

 September 



flowers green-white or pink, the calyx 

 five-parted. Climbing over rocks and 

 bushes 6-12 feet high. In moist places, 

 common everywhere. A rather decorative 

 vine but often troublesome in the vege- 

 table garden. 



The familiar buckwheat in cultivation 

 escaped to waysides. From the old world; 

 with arrowhead-shaped leaves, and green- 

 ish white flowers sometimes pinkish, the 

 calyx five-divided, and with eight honey- 

 glands alternating with the stamens ; the 

 flowers fertilized mostly by honeybees; 

 the honey of a peculiarly fragrant character but dark in 

 color. Seed beechnut-shaped. Common everywhere. 

 The name from fagus, beech, and rtvpoS, wheat. 



Buckwheat 



Fagopyrum 

 esculentum 

 Greenish 

 white 

 June- 

 September 



108 



