BUCKWHEAT FAMILY 



more barren parts of the Commons. Its presence is an 

 indication of sour soil. Mr. Bicknell says, "In early June 

 when in full flower, it is one of the conspicuous plants of 

 the season, reddening the fields and plains and damp sandy 

 levels along the shore." 



POLYGONACEJE BUCKWHEAT FAMILY 



Rumex crispus, L. 



Dark green Yellow Dock, 



Curled Dock. 

 June-August 



Rumex: for derivation see Acetosella. 



Crispus: from Anglo Saxon, with same meaning. 



THE PREFERRED HABITAT: damp ground. 



IE PLANT: erect, one foot to three and one half feet tall; 

 the stem rather slender, simple or branched above, dark 

 een, grooved. 



THE LEAVES : alternate ; the lower oblong or oblong-lanceo- 

 ate; six inches to twelve inches long, on long stems; the 

 upper narrowly oblong or lanceolate, about half as long, 

 on short stems; all heart-shaped or obtuse at the base; 

 wavy-margined. 



THE FLOWERS: in a rather open panicle, the individual 

 ones rather loosely whorled, petalless, the calyx the dark 

 green part. 



THE FRUIT: achenes. 



A familiar but deadly uninteresting plant, whose large, 

 heavy lower leaves which are usually, in part at least, 

 brown and withered, irritate with their seemingly un- 

 ecessary existence the one who is bent on swamp treasure 



ove. The flowers are tiny balls, so to speak, although 

 they try by their numbers and by their loose-hanging to 

 appear more conspicuous. 



From this plant is made a valuable drug. 



73 



