372 POLYGONACE^E. (BUCKWHEAT FAMILY.) 



in their place); leaves lanceolate. Alpine summits of the White Mountains, 

 New Hampshire, shore of Lake Superior, and northward. (Eu.) 



{ 2. AMBLY6GONON, Meisn. Calyx petal-Ufa, ^-parted: stamens 7 : style 2- 

 cleft: stigmas capitate: achenium lenticular (cotyledons incumbent, linear: albumen 

 floury) : annuals : floicers crowded in linear-cylindrical terminal spikes. 



2. P. ORIENTALS, L. (PRINCE'S FEATHER.) Tall, branching, rather 

 hairy; leaves ovate, pointed, petiolcd; upper sheaths salver-form; spikes nu- 

 merous, nodding ; the large hright rose-colored flowers open. Sparingly 

 escaped from cultivation into waste grounds. Aug., Sept. (Adv. from Eu.) 



$3. PERSICARIA, Tourn. Calyx petal-like, 5-parted: stame.ns 4-8: styles 

 2-3 or 2-3-clefl: stigmas capitate, often small: achenium lenticular, or (when 

 there are 3 stigmas) 3-sided (cotyledons accumbent, narrow: albumen hard and 

 horny) : roots fibrous: sheaths cylindrical, truncate: flowers ci-owdcd in spikes or 

 spike-like racemes. 



* Sheatfis naked : styles 2, or 2-cle/l : achenium flat or lenticular. 

 +- Stamens 5 : spike mostly solitary, very dense : flowers rose-red : root perennial. 



3. P. a Hi |> hi bill 111, L. (WATER PERSICARIA.) Leaves elliptical- 

 lanceolate or oblong, pointed or obtusish, either narrowed or rather heart-shaped 

 at the base. Var. 1. AQUATICUM, L., is floating or procumbent in soft mud, 

 rooting, and nearly smooth, as well as the long-petioled often obtuse floating 

 leaves. (P. coccineum, Bigel. P. fluitans, Eaton.) Var. 2. TERRESTRE is 

 more or less hairy or bristly, with an upright or ascending stem, growing in 

 marshy or muddy places ; the leaves acute or pointed, upper very short-pctioled. 

 Ponds or their low borders; common, especially northward. July, Aug. 

 Very variable in foliage, &c. : spike oblong, l'-3' long, '-' thick. (Eu.) 



*- - Stamens C or 8 : spikes somewhat panicled, oblong or linear, densely floivered: 

 flowers rose or flesh-color : root annual. 



4. P. nodosiiin, Pers., var. incarnatum. Stem upright (2 -4 

 high), smooth below, the branches above, peduncles, frc. roughened with scattered 

 sessile glands; leaves rough on the midrib and margins, elongated-lanceolate 

 (4' -10' long, l'-3' wide below), tapering gradually from towards the base to a 

 narrow point; spikes linear, nodding, becoming slender (l'-3' long); stamens 

 6; style 2-jmrted, both included; achenium with concave sides. (P. incarnatum, 

 Ell. P. lapathifolium, Amer. auth.) Moist places, Conn. <fcc, to Kentucky, 

 and common .southward. Aug. - Sept. Sheaths rather long, perfectly smooth 

 and naked on the margin. This is not P. lapathifolium, but fulls under P. no- 

 dosum as the species are lately distinguished by Meisncr : our plant is appar- 

 ently indigenous, and so different from the European that it should perhaps be 

 admitted as a species under Elliott's name. 



5. P. Pcmisylviaiiciun, L. Stem upright (l-3 high), smooth 

 below, the branches above, and especially the peduncles, beset with bristly-stalked 

 glands; leaves lanceolate, a little rough on the midrib and margins (H'~ 5' long) ; 

 spikes oblong, obtuse (l'-2' long), erect, thick; stamens mostly 8, somwhat exserted; 

 style 2-cleft ; achenium with flat sides. Moist soil, in open waste places; com- 

 mon. July -Oct. 



