372 POI/IGONACE.S. (BUCKWHEAT FAMILY.) 





ca their place); leaves lanceolate. Alpine summits of the White Mountain*, 

 New Hampshire, shore of Lake Superior, and nortlnvard. (Eu.) 



2. AMBLY6GONON, Moisn. Calyx petal-like, ^-parted: stamens 7 : style S- 

 cleft: stigmas capitate : achenium lenticular (cotyledons incumbent, linear: albumen 

 floury) : annuals : flowers crowded in linear-cylindrical terminal spikes. 



2. P OKIENT\LE, L. (PRINCE'S FEATHER.) Tall, branching, rather 

 dairy ; leaves ovate, pointed, pctioled ; upper sheaths salver-form ; spikes nu- 

 merous, nodding ; the large bright rose-colored flowers open. Sparingly 

 escaped from cultivation into waste grounds. Aug., Sept. (Adv. from Eu.} 



$3. PERSICARIA, Toura. Calyx petal-like, ^-parted: stamens 4-8: styles 

 2-3 or 2-3-clefl: stigmas capitate, often small: aclienium lenticular, or (when 

 there are 3 stigmas) 3-sided (cotyledons accumbent, narrow: albumen hard and 

 horny) : roots fibrous: sheaths cylindrical, truncate : flowers crowded in spikes or 

 sjtike-like racemes. 



# Sheaths naked : styles 2, or 2-cleft : achenium flat or lenticular. 

 - Stamens 5 : spike mostly solitari/, very dense: flowers rose-red: root perennial. 



3. P. amptiibiuni, L. (WATER PERSICARIA.) Leaves elliptical- 

 lanceolate or oblong, pointed or obtusish, either narrowed or rather heart-shaped 

 at the base. Var. 1. AQUA.TICUM, L. y is floating or procumbent in soft mud, 

 rooting, and nearly smooth, as well as the long-petioled often obtuse floating 

 leaves. (P. coccincum, Bigel. P. fluitans, Eaton.) Var. 2. TERRESTRE is 

 more or less hairy or bristly, with an upright or ascending stem, growing in 

 marshy or muddy places ; the leaves acute or pointed, upper very short-petioled. 

 Ponds or their low borders; common, especially northward. July, Aug. 

 Very variable in foliage, &c. : spike oblong, l'-3' long, J' - ' thick. (Ku.) 



- - Stamens 6 or 8 : spikes somewhat panicled, oblong or lint ar, denm lu flowered : 

 flowers rose or flesh-color : root annual. 



4. P. liodosuni, Pcrs., var. i 11 car nsi Isilia. Stem upright (2 -4 

 high), smooth below, the branches above, peduncles, $*c. roughened irith scattered 

 sessile glands; leaves rough on the midrib and margins, elongated-lanceolate 

 (4'- 10' long, l'-3' wide below), tapering gradually from towards the ba-c to a 

 narrow point; spikes linear, nodding, becoming slender (U'-.'J' long); s/a/ums 

 6; style Z-par ted, both included ; achenium with concave sides. (P. incarnatum, 

 Ell. P. lapatliifolium, Amer. auth.) Moist places, Conn. & o, to Kentucky, 

 and common southward. Aug. - Sept. Sheaths rather long, perfectly snv oth 

 and naked on the margin. This is not P. lapathifolium, but falls under P. no- 

 dosum as the species are lately distinguished by Meisjier : dm ]>lant is appar- 

 ently indigenous, and so different from the European that it should perhaps l>e 

 admitted as a species under Elliott's name. 



5. P. Pcillisylvtflliciini, L. Stem upright (l-3 high), smooth 

 below, the branrlus ,ilr<', and ispi'dally the peduncles, besit with bristly-stalked 

 ytands ; leaves lanceolate, a little rough on the midrib and margins ( 1 V - 5' long) ; 

 ipikes oblong, obtuse (l'-2' long), erect, thick ; stamens mostly 8, som-ic/tat c.rstrteJ ; 

 style 2-cleft; achenium with flat sides. Moist soil, in open waste places; com- 



July -Oct. 



