PHYTOLACCACE&.POL YGONACEsE. 283 



in dense, axillary, sessile clusters, arranged in spikes ; root fleshy. Is culti- 

 vated . A ugust, 



3. Spinacia. Flowers dioecious. Barren flowers calyx 5-cleft ; 

 stamens 5. Fertile flowers calyx 2-4-cleft. Styles 4, capillary. 

 Utricle contained in the hardened and sometimes spiny calyx. 



S. OLERACEA (Spinage). Stem erect, branching; leaves hastate-lanceo- 

 late, tapering at base, on long petioles ; flowers greenish ; barren in a ter- 

 minal panicle ; fertile in dense, sessile racemes ; fruit sessile, prickly, or un- 

 armed. In kitchen gardens. Stem 1-2 feet high. June-July. 



Order LXVII. PHYTOLACCACE.E. 



Herbs, rarely shrubby. Leaves alternate, without stipules. 

 Flowers perfect, in racemes. Sepals 4-5, petaloid. Stamens 4-5 

 and alternate with the sepals ; or else 10 or more. Ovary i or 

 several-celled. Styles and stigmas as many as the cells. Fruit 

 dry or baccate, consisting of i, or several I -seeded carpels. 



Phytolacca. Calyx of 5 petaloid sepals. Stamens 5-30. Styles 

 5-12. Ovary composed of 5-12 united carpels, forming a 5-12-celled, 

 half-globular berry. Cells I -seeded. 



P. DECANDRA (Poke-weed). Smooth ; stem tall, terete, branching, 

 changing at length to deep purple ; leaves large, ovate, acute at both ends, 

 petiolate, entire ; flowers greenish white, in long cylindrical racemes, at first 

 terminal, but at length opposite the leaves ; stamens 10 ; styles 10 ; fruit glo- 

 bose, depressed, dark purple, juicy. A tall, stout, poisonous plant, 6-8 feet 

 high, rising from a very large, branching, poisonous root. July-September. 



Order LXVIII. POLYGON ACE^: (Buckwheat Family). 



Herbs, or shrubs. Leaves alternate. Stipules ochreate, rarely 

 none. Flowers usually perfect. Sepals 4-6, more or less united 

 at base, often petaloid. Stamens definite, inserted on the base of 

 the sepals. Ovary free, i -celled, i-ovuled. Styles or stigmas 2 or 

 3. Achenium usually triangular or oblong. 



f Sepals 4-6. embryo one side of albumen Polygonum. 

 POLYGONACE.E. fs , s a ,, ^_ Rheum ^ 



( Sepals 6- \ 



[.Sepals of 2 sorts Rumex. 



I. Rheum. Calyx colored, of 6 sepals, persistent. Stamens 9. 

 Styles 3. Stigma many-parted, reflexed. Achenia 3-angled ; angles 

 winged, if. 



R. RHAPONTICUM (Garden Rhubarb}. Stem erect, stout, fleshy, hollow ; 

 joints sheathed by large stipules ; leaves ovate, cordate, obtuse, smooth ,; 



