BUCKWHEAT FAMILY. 369 



than the fruiting calyx and in much crowded whorls, forming a spike ; 

 valves triangular and small, one or all with a very large grain ; root 

 white. N. Eng. to Great Lakes and W. 



R. altissimuB, Wood. Pale D. 2°-6° high ; pedicels nodding, 

 shorter than the fruiting calyx, which has broadly ovate, loosely reti- 

 culated valves, one with a large grain, the others commonly naked ; root 

 yellow. Moist grounds, N. J., W. 



* » Sandy seashore and river banks N. ; 6'-12' high, spreading, (i) 



R. maiitimuB, Linn. Golden D. Minutely pubescent; leaves lance- 

 linear, wavy-margined, the lower auricled or heart-shaped at base ; whorls 

 much crowded into leafy spikes ; valves rhombic-oblong with a tapering 

 point, turning orange-colored, a large grain on the back and 2 or 3 long 

 stout bristles on each margin. 



* » » Weeds nat. from Eu. in cult, or waste ground ; stem erect, 2°-4° 

 high ; hnoer leaves or some of them heart-shaped at base, all more or 

 less wavy ; root commonly yell oiv and spindle-shaped. % 



•*- Valves conspicuously toothed at base, one {chiefly) grain-bearing. 



R. obtusifbiius. Linn. Bitter D. Leaves little wavy, the upper lance- 

 oblong and acute, lower oblong-heart-shaped and obtuse ; whorls loose 

 and distant ; valves ovate, partly halberd-shaped, usually only one grain- 

 bearing. 



■*- ■*- Valves entire or obscurely denticulate, one or more grain-bearing 

 {or sometimes all naked in the last). 



•w. Leaves with wavy or crisped margins. 



R. crfspus, Linn. Curled D. Leaves green, lanceolate, very wavy- 

 curled, the lower rather truncate than heart-shaped at base ; whorls 

 crowded in long racemes ; valves rounded, heart-shaped, nearly entire, 

 mostly grain-bearing. Hybridizes with R. obtusifolius. 



R. sanguineus, Linn. Bloody-veined or Red D. Leaves red-veined, 

 less curled, lanceolate or oblong, often fiddle-shaped ; whorls distant, in 

 long slender and leafless spikes ; pedicels very short, jointed at the base ; 

 valves narrowly oblong and obtuse, one or more grain-bearing. 



R. conglomeratus, Murray. Smaller Green D. Like the last, but 

 the panicle leafy, the leaves never fiddle-shaped, the pedicels jointed 

 below the middle, the valves acutish and all grain-bearing. Moist 



°^ • ++ *+ Leaves not curly- nor wavy-margined. 



R. PatiSntia, Linn. Patience D., Herb Patience. Very tall and 

 strong species, cult, as a pot herb and sparingly escaped ; leaves large, 

 ovate-oblong or lanceolate and often broadest above the middle ; valves 

 very large and thin (3" or more broad), one bearing a small grain, or its 

 midrib thickened at the base. 



§ 2. Sorrels. Herbage acid; some leaves halberd-shaped, others with 

 entire narrowed base; flowers dioecious, small, in a terminal naked 

 panicle ; valves naked ; flowers spring and summer. 2Z 



R. Acetosella, Liini. Common or Sheep Sorrel. Low weed in all 

 sterile fields ; leaves lance-oblong or halberd-shaped, the lobes or auricles 

 narrow ; pedicels jointed with the flower ; ovate valves hardly enlarging 

 in fruit. Eu. 



R. Aceibsa, Linn. Strong and tall (l°-3°) ; leaves auriculate at the 

 base, the radical ones broad and very obtuse and on long slender stalks, 

 the cauline long-oblong-lanceolate ; inner valves orbicular and enlarging 

 in fruit, the small outer ones reflexed. Cult, as a spring vegetable, and 

 sparingly escarped E. Eu. 



gray's F. F. & G. BOT. — 24 



