152 THE BIRTHVVORT FAMILY. 



Its leaves are ovate, or ovate-lanceolate, long pointed at the apex and deeply 

 and narrowly cordate, or even hastate at the base. They are very thin, and 

 roughly pubescent on their undersides. At the ends of scaly, basal branches 

 the flowers grow singly and in comparison with those that have formerly 

 been cited, are extremely small. The calyx tube curves very much like the 

 letter S. 



THE BUCKWHEAT FAMILY. 



Polygonaccce. 



A large fa7?iily represented in most portions of the world and 7vhich 

 includes trees ^ shrubs, vines and herbs, with siinple, alter fiat e, opposite or 

 7vhorled and mostly entire leaves. By the jointed sterns and stipules, 7vhich 

 at the bases of the leaves form a sheathing, united structure called the 

 ochrece, most of our species are easily identified. The fiowers are small, 

 perfect, regular and grow in variously arranged inflorescences. Petals : 

 no?ie. Fruit : an ach.ne. 



ERIOQONUM. (Plate LI.) 



Eriogon urn tomentbsuin . 



FAMILY COLOUR ODOUR RANGE TIME OF BLOOM 



Buckwheat. IVhite. Scentless. Florida to South Carolina. July-September. 



Flowers : small ; numerous ; growing in spreading, leafy cymes at the ends of 

 the branches and subtended by a campanulate, toothed and pubescent involucre. 

 Calyx : six-parted, the unequal segments spreading and pubescent on the outside. 

 Stamens: nine ; exserted, their filaments thread-like. Basal leaves: tufted; ob- 

 ovate-oblong ; entire; green above, brick coloured underneath, both sides being 

 covered with a dense velvety and reddish tomentum. Stent leaves : oval or ovate ; 

 sessile ; mostly vvhorled in fours about the rounded stems which appear silvery 

 from their grey tomentum. An erect, branching herb, two to four feet high. 



In its blowing time there is hardly a prettier member of the genus than 

 this leafy herb from which the tiny white blossoms appear to burst at almost 

 every point. It grows through pine barrens where often a few of its linger- 

 ing flowers are to be found even so late in the season that its leaves have 

 turned to their customary shade of burnt orange, 



