A GUIDE TO THE WILD FLOWERS 105 



our commonest weeds in fields and waste places. July. Fig. 



302. See also Nos. 262, 263, and 300. 



303. Virginia Knotweed. Tovara virginiana. {Polygonum 

 virginianum.) An erect or slightly arching perennial, 1-3 ft. 

 high, with large oval leaves more abruptly pointed at the tip 

 than towards the base. Leaves short-stalked, 2-6 in. long, 

 slightly hairy on the margins, but without teeth. Sheaths at 

 the base of the leaf-stalk tightly stem-clasping, fringed with 

 bristles. Flowers greenish-rose, scarcely ^Xq in. across, scat- 

 tered 'rather sparsely along an almost thread-like stalk from 

 4-12 in. long. In woods, usually in rather rich soil. Nova 

 Scotia to Florida and westward. September. 



304. Stem leaves either actually compound or much divided. 

 (Nos. 305-311.) 



Leaves divided (in no. 305 deeply so) but not compound 

 Leaves divided to the base, appearing as w^ith narrow separate 



leaflets Hemp no. 305 



Leaves divided to about the middle, the lobes broad 



Golden Seal no. 306 



Leaves truly compound, the ultimate divisions of separate leaflets 

 Leaves once compound, the leaflets sharply and regularly 



toothed ; flowers white Burnet no. 307 



Leaflets thrice compound, the leaflets toothed mostly towards 

 the tip and bluntly so ; flowers greenish Meadow Rue no. 308 



305. Hemp. Cannabis saliva. (Cannabinaceae.) A coarse hairy 

 annual herb 2-8 ft. tall with tough fibrous bark and large 

 leaves divided finger-fashion practically to the base. Divisions 

 of the leaf long, narrow, and sharply toothed, 3-6 in. long. 

 Flowers in clusters from among the leaves, greenish and in- 

 conspicuous. Mostly in waste places from Canada to No. 

 Carolina and westward. The Hasheesh of the Orient from 

 where it has been introduced. August. Fig. 305. See also 

 No. 198. 



306. Golden Seal. Hydrastis canadensis. (Ranunculaccae.) 

 A somewhat rare plant of rich woodlands, not over i ft. high, 

 arising from a thick yellow rootstock. There is one large 

 basal leaf, divided about to the middle, into 5-9 toothed 



