BUCKWHEAT FAMILY. 36^ 



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

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

 white. N. Kng. to (ireat Lakes and W. 



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

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

 culated valve.s, one with a large grain, the others commonly naked ; root 

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



* * Sandy spashorc and river banks N. ; 5'-12' high, spreading. 



R. maritimus, Linn. (Joi.den 1). Minutely pubescent; leaves lance- 



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

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

 point, turning orange-colored, a large grain on the back and 2 or 8 long 

 stout bristles on each margin. 



* * * Weeds nat. fram Eh. in cnlt. nr vaste ground; stem erect, 2°-4° 

 Itigh ; imcer leaves or some of /heia heart-shaped at liase, nil more or 

 less wavy ; root commonly yelloio and spindle-shaped. % 



■*- Valves conspicitoitsly toothed at base, one (chiefly) grain-bearing. 



R. obtusifblius, Linn. Bitter 1). Leaves little wavy, the upper lance- 

 oblong and acute, lower ublong-heart-shaped and obtuse ; wliorls loose 

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

 bearing. 



-1- •<- Valves entire or obscurely denticulate, one or more grain-bearing 

 {or sometimes all naked in the last). 



++ Leaves with wavy or crisped margins. 



R. crispus, 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-shai^ed, nearly entire, 

 mostly urain-bearing. Hybridizes with R. obtusifolius. 



/?. sanguineus, Linn. Bloody-veinkd or Ked 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. cong/omerdtus, 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 

 gioun s. ++ ++ Leaves not curly- nor wavy-margined. 



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

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

 ovate-ol)long or lanceolate and often broadest above the middle ; valves 

 very large and thin (8" 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 nnrroived base; flowers diiecious, small, in a terminal naked 

 panicle ; valves naked ; flowers spring and summer. 11 



R. Acetosel/a, Linn. Co.mmon 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. Ku. 



R. Acetosa, Linn. Strong and tall (\°~?j^) ; leaves auriculate at the 

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

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

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

 sparingly escarped E. Eu. 



gray's E. E. i- G. BOT. — 24 



