244 POLYGONACE2E. 



merely fit for pheasants and fowls in this country, is made into 

 cakes in Russia, the flavour of which I am assured is super- 

 excellent. 



The Knotgrass (P. aviculare), another member of this group, 

 is very good for sheep. The seeds of this family are triangular, 

 and the calyx is coloured with pink and divided into several 

 segments. 



The Amphibious Persicaria (P. amphibium), has only five 

 stamens ; the leaves are heart-shaped, and the conical spike of 

 pink flowers looks very pretty floating upon a pond. I fished 

 my specimen out of the Avon, near Guy's Cliff, where the 

 famous Guy Earl of Warwick lived. 



The Spotted Persicaria (P. persicaria), has six stamens ; its 

 spike and leaves resemble those of the Amphibious species, but 

 are smaller, and the leaves have a dark stain upon them. 



The Pale-flowered Persicaria (P. lapathifolium), is distin- 

 guished from its Spotted brother by its greenish flowers, and 

 leaves with glandular dots. Both are common in ditches and 

 watery places. 



The Biting Persicaria (P. hydropiper), has also six stamens, 

 its clusters are long and not crowded, and they droop in an 

 elegant curve. The leaves are of a narrow lance-shape. It 

 grows in Kent and about Hastings. 



The Small creeping Persicaria (P. minus), I found by the side 

 of the Isis, not far from the railway station at Oxford. Its leaves 

 are narrow and flat, and its slender clusters are upright. All 

 these Persicarias have two styles, and most of them six stamens. 

 We now come to a portion of the family which have three 

 styles. 



The Bistort, or Snakeweed (P. bistorta, Plate XIV., 

 jig. 11), grows in pastures and meadows. It has a tall !Reed- 

 like stem, with one leaf sessile upon it. The terminal spike 

 of flowers is very handsome. The root-leaves are stalked 

 and ovate. The root forms a valuable medicine in low fever, 

 and an acid very efficacious in stopping bleeding is prepared 



