POLYGONACEJ. (BUCKWHEAT FAMILY.) 377 



them unequally grain-bearing. (R. altissimus, Wood.) Banks of streams, &c., 

 New England ? New York (Peekskill, Mead) to Illinois and southward. June, 

 July. Leaves 3' - 5' long mostly oblong-lanceolate, much like the last; the 

 valves fully twice as large, two of the grains small or abortive, or sometimes all 

 three wanting. 



3. R. salicifolillS, Weinmann, Hook. (WILLOW DOCK.) Racemes 

 spiked, somewhat leafy below; the whorls much crowded; pedicels shoiter than 

 the fruiting calyx ; the valves ovate, obtusish, rugose-reticulated, (1-2 or) all of 

 them nearly covered with a large and thick grain. (R. pallidus, Bigelow.) Low 

 grounds, coast of Massachusetts, and northward and northwestward. June. 

 Stems l-3 high, ascending. Leaves thinner than in the two preceding, their 

 margins a little wavy. Fruiting calyx smaller than in No. 1, so short-pedicelled 

 and crowded as to appear sessile. 



4. R. Hydrolapatlmiii, Hudson, var. ? Americamim. (GREAT 

 WATER-DOCK.) Racemes upright in a large compound panicle, nearly leaf- 

 less ; whorls crowded ; pedicels capillary, nodding, about twice the length of the 

 fruiting calyx ; the valves broadly ovate or roundish, obtuse (large), all grain-bear- 

 ing; leaves oblong-lanceolate, pointed, with minutely crenulatc-icavy margins. (R. 

 Britannica, Purshl Bigel, &c. R. aquaticus, Smith, Pursh.) Wet places, 

 New England to Penn. and Michigan. July. Stem 5 high, stout. Lower 

 leaves 1 or more long and 3' -5' wide, the stout midrib produced into a 

 flat petiole. Valves thin, ^' long, rather denticulate, much more rounded in 

 our specimens than in European. Probably a distinct species, allied to R. 

 Patientia. 



# * Leaves more or less ivavy-margined, the lower heart-shaped at the base : whorls in 

 panicled racemes or spikes : valves entire or short-toothed: perennials : all introduced. 



5. R. OBTUSiFdLius, L. (BITTER DOCK.) Stem roughish ; loivest leaves 

 ovate-heart-shaped, obtuse, rather downy on the veins underneath, somewhat wavy- 

 margined, the upper oblong-lanceolate, acute ; whorls loose and distant ; valves ovate- 

 halberd-shaped, sharply denticulate at the base, strongly reticulated, one of them 

 principally grain-bearing. Fields, &c. ; a rather common weed. July. (Nat. 

 from Eu.) 



6. R. CRfsPUS, L. (CURLED DOCK.) Smooth; leaves with strongly wavy- 

 curled margins, lanceolate, acute, the lower truncate or rather heart-shaped at the 

 base ; whorls crowded in prolonged wand-like racemes, leafless above ; valves round- 

 heart-shaped, obscurely denticulate or entire, one or all of them grain-bearing. A 

 very common weed in cultivated and waste grounds. Stem 3 -4 high, from 

 a deep spindle-shaped yellow root. (Nat. from Eu.) 



7. R. CONGLOMERATUS, Murray. (SMALLER GREEN DOCK.) Leave* 

 oblong, pointed, slightly wavy-margined, the lower heart-shaped at the base; 

 whorls distant, leafy ; pedicels very short ; valves linear-oblong, rather broader next 

 the base ; obtuue, entire, each bearing a single (reddish) grain. (R. acutus, Smith, 

 &c.) Moist places ; sparingly introduced. (Nat. from Eu.) 



8. R. SANGufNEUS, L. (BLOODY-VEINED DOCK.) Leaves lanceolate, 

 wavy-margined, the lowest heart-shaped at the base ; whorls distant, in long and 

 slendzr leafless interrupted spikes; pedicels very short; valves narrowly oblong, 



32* 



