150 IIEXANDRIA — TRIGYNIA. [Kumex. 



Scotland. Fl. July. 1/. — 6 — 8 inches liigrh, slender. Leaves small, nar- 

 row, hairy only at the margins of the s/ieaths. Spike dark-coloured, 

 interrupted near the i)ase. Capsule very dark, shining brown, acute. — 

 Well distinguished by its drooping compound spike and narrow leaves. 



HEXANDRIA— DIGYNIA. 



22. OxYRiA. Hill. Mountain-Sorrel. 



1. O. renifdrmis, Hook, (kidney -shaped Mountain- Sorrel'). 

 Hook. Scot. I. p. IJ 1. — Rumex digynus, L. — E. Hot. t. 910. 



North of England, Wales and Scotland, abundant in alpine situations, 

 especially amongst moist rocks and within reach of the spray of cas- 

 cades. Fl. July, Aug. If. — Stems 8 — 10 inches high, with rarely more 

 than one leaf, often naked. Radical leaves numerous, all reniform, with 

 a more or less evident obtuse sinus at the apex, on long footstalks, 

 having membranaceous stipides at their base. Racemes and peduncles 

 branched, with minute, ovate, membranous hracteas at the base of each 

 ramification. Pcrf/ce/s thickened upwards. 7^/oife;-s erect, small. Slam. 

 6, shorter than the petals. Pistil nearly orbicular, compressed, notched, 

 with 2, spreading feathery styles. Fruit a nut, enclosed in an utricle, 

 with a remarkably broad winged border, tipped with the styles situated 

 in rather a deep notch; and having at the base the pointed petals, not 

 at all enlarged. 



The leaves yield a most agreeably acid flavour, much resembling that 

 of the Wood-SoiTcl ( Oxalis acetosella). 



HEXANDRIA— TRIGYNIA. 



23. Rumex. Linn. Dock and Sorrel. 



* Plants not acid. Flowers perftct. (Lapatliiun, — Dock.) 



1. R. Hydrolapatimm, Hiids. (great Water Dock); enlarged 

 petals ovato-deltoid reticulated each with a tubercle entire, 

 leaves lanceolate the lower ones cordate at the base, wliorls 

 mostly leafless. Beick. Ic. Bot. t. 370. — R. aquaticus, Sm. FL 

 Br. p. 394. E. Bot. t. 2104. 



Ditches and river-sides, frequent. Fl. July, Aug. 1/ . — The largest 

 of our Docks, 3 — 5 feet high ; some of the lower leaves H ft. long. Root 

 large, very astringent. Enlarged petals with prominent veins, and large 

 oblong tubercles. 



2. R. crisjms, L. (curled Dock); enlarged petals broadly cor- 

 date entire or crenulate reticulated, one only with a perfect 

 large coloured tubercle, leaves lanceolate waved acute, upper 

 whorls leafless. E. Bot. t. 1998. 



Way-sides and near houses, pastures, &c., frequent. Fl. June. July. 

 If. — 2 or 3 feet high. Lower leaves the broadest, all waved and crisped 

 at the margins. Whorls ofjiowers very numerous and crowded. Here 

 the enlarged petals are truly cordate. Most authors say that each petal 

 bears a tubercle ; but in my specimens, in those gathered by Mr Wilson 

 in Lancashire, and in some that 1 have from Switzerland, one only bears 

 a large oblong orange-coloured tubercle, the others have only the midrib 

 a little swollen at the base. 



3. R. pratensis, Rfert. et Koch, {meadow Dock); " enlarged 



