A GUIDE TO THE WILD FLOWERS 89 



aris, has green foliage and black seeds, and is found in salt 

 marshes from Nova Scotia to N. J. and Tex. (See No. 282.) 

 256. Fat-hen. Atriplcx hastata. (Chcnopodiaccac.) A scurfy 

 greenish or purplish herb, 1-3 ft. tall, with broad arrow- 

 head-shaped wavy-margined leaves 1-5 in. long, stalked. 

 Flowers in interrupted clusters, or the latter bunched at the 

 base of a leaf-stalk. Salt meadows, but sometimes in waste 

 places. Nova Scotia to So. Car., and westward. July. Fig. 

 256. A related species, A. rosea, which often has reddish 

 foliage, and leaves not arrow shaped is found in waste places 

 from Nova Scotia to N. Y. and N. J., and is a native of 

 Europe. (See No. 282.) 



257. Plants of fresh water ditches, swamps, or moist places. 

 (Nos. 258-266.) 



(Note: Salt marsh species occasionally travel up fresh water 

 streams. Look out particularly for the Salt-marsh Water-hemp, 

 no. 254) 



There are eight herbs in this group, of diverse habit and 

 relationship, but all alike in having greenish, inconspicuous 

 flowers, growing in moist or wet places, and in having un- 

 divided leaves. They may be identified thus: 



Low prostrate plant with nearly round leaves 



Water Carpet no. 258 



Erect plants 

 Leaves without marginal teeth, sometimes wavy-margined 

 Flowers in close, finger-sliaped clusters 

 Leaves broad, heart-shaped at base . . . Lizard's-tail no. 259 



Leaves narrow, pointed at the base 



Mild Water-pepper no. 260 



Flowers in open loose clusters, the individual flowers on small 



drooping stalks Water Docks no. 261 



Leaves with distinct marginal teeth 



Flowers in forked, terminal one-sided clusters 



Virginia Stonecrop no. 264 



Flowers not terminal: from among the leaves 



Flower cluster shorter than the leaf-stalk 



Clearweed no, 265 



Flower cluster longer than the leaf-stalk, at least the upper 

 ones False Nettle no. 266 



