4S8 ORDER CII. POLYGON ACE^. 



Genus L— PHYTOLACCA. L. 10—5. 

 (From phuton, a plsnt, and lacca, lac, from the color of the fruit.) 



Genus the same as the Order. 



1. P. decan'dba, (L.) Stem pueculent, tinged wilh purple. Leaves 

 ovate, alternate, entire. Flowers in simple racemes, opposite the leaves. 

 Fruit superior, 10-celled, 10-seeded, dark purple. — 2f. May — Sept. 

 Cultivated grounds. Very common. 4-^10 feet. Pokeberry. 



Order GIL— POLYGONA'CE^. {Buckwheat Family.) 



Perianth divided, inferior, aestivation imbricate. Stamens 

 definite, 5 — 9, inserted into the bottom of the perianth. Ovary 

 superior, with a single erect ovule. Styles or stigmas several. 

 Fruit usually a triangular nut. Seed with farinaceous albu- 

 men. Embryo inverted. Herbaceous plants, with alternate 

 leaves sheathing at the base. 



Genus I.— ERIOGO'NUAL L. 9—12. 

 (From tho Greek erion, wool, and g^onji, joint, from the joints being •woolly.) 



Involucre campanulate, many-flowered. Perianth 6-cleft. 

 Stamens 9. Style 1. Stigmas 3. Seed 1 — 3-angled. 



1. E. TOMENTo'suM, (Micli.) Stem erect, branching, somewhat dichot- 

 omous. Leaves oval-lanceolate, 3 at each division of the stem, sessile, 

 white, tomentose beneath ; lower leaves attenuate at the base, i^/o?/;- 

 ers in axillary sessile clusters. — If. June — Sept. Sand-hills. 1 — 2 ft. 



Gen-US II— polygonum. L. 8—3. 

 (From the Greek pohis, many, and gronw, joint.) 



Perianth 5-parted, petaloid, persistent. Stamens 4 — 9. 

 Styles usually 3. Fruit 1 -seeded, mostly triangular. 



a. Flowers axillary. Stamens 8. Stigmas 3. 



1. P. marit'imum, (L.) Ste7n glabrous, branching. Leaves lanceolate, 

 attenuate at the base, with revolute margins. Stipules large, frequent- 

 ly lacerate. Flowers axillary. Perianth white, tinged with red. — 2f . 

 May — Sept. On the sea-coast. 1 — 2 feet. 



2. P. avicula'ke, (L.) Stem procumbent, striate, glabrous, much 

 branched. Leaves alternate, elliptic-lanceolate, varyin;^ in size and 

 shape, margins scaltrous. Stipules membranaceous. Floxoers axillary, 

 few. Pcrm«i// persistent, greenish-white. — If. June — Oct. Common. 



Knot-grass. 



3. P. tenu'e, (Mich.) Stem slender, erect, branching, acutely angled. 

 Leaves linear, acuminate, straight. Stipules lacerate, villous at the 



