CLASS VI. ORDER III.l HUMEX. 619 



rous crowded whorls of flowers close above, but separate in the lower 

 part of tlie branches, which have also frequently one or two small 

 narrow leaves. Flowers on slender peduncles^ jointed near the base, 

 at first erect, shortly drooping, thiclicncd upwards, and at the base of 

 the flower swollen into a conical shape. Perianth of six pieces, the 

 three outer ones narrow, tliick, and concave, the three inner ovate, 

 thin, enlarging considerably after flowering, and becoming oblong, 

 ovate, somewhat triangular at the base, the margin quite entire, or 

 sometimes with Iwo or three small teeth at the base, or waved, each 

 one bearing in the centre an oblong tapering orange coloured tubercle, 

 fleshy, smooth, frequently the size of the tubercles vary on each of the 

 pieces, from the tubercles arise prominent reticulated veins. Stamens 

 as long as the perianth, with very short slender filaments and long 

 linear anthers, yellow, two celled. Styles three, thickening upwards. 

 Stigmas tufled, much divided into slender filaments, persistent on the 

 point of the ovate acutely three angled brown shining nut. 



Habitat. — The margins of drains, river sides, and marshy lands; 

 frequent. 



Perennial; flowering in July and August. 



2. R. cris'pus, Linn. (Fig. 594.) Curled Dock. Enlarged pieces of 

 the perianth roundish, heart-shaped, entire, or crenated, acute, each 

 with a tubercle, one larger than the others ; whorls of numerous 

 flowers, the upper ones leafless ; leaves lanceolate, waved, curled, 

 acute, the lower ones oblong, stalked. 



English Botany, t. 1198. — English Flora, vol. ii. p. 192. — Hooker, 

 British Flora, vol. i. p. 171. — Lindley, Synopsis, p. 211. 



Root fleshy, long, tapering, rather slender. Stem erect, angular, 

 and furrowed, smooth, from two to three feet high, somewhat zigzag, 

 green or purplish, alternately branched and leafy. Leaves on chan- 

 neled footstalks, long, flat, lanceolate, acutely pointed, the margins 

 waved and much curled, the lower ones largest, frequently somewhat 

 heart-shaped at the base, the upper narrow, numerous. Injlorescence 

 a terminal alternately branched panicle, the branches simple, or two 

 or three times divided. Flowers numerous, in crowded whorls, the 

 lower ones more distant, and generally accompanied with leaves, on 

 slender peduncles, jointed near the base, somewhat swollen under the 

 flower, at first erect, becoming drooping. Perianth of six pieces, the 

 three outer ones small, narrow, thick, concare, the three inner enlarged 

 after flowering, roundish, ovate, heart-shaped at the base, the margin 

 entire, or crenated, rarely toothed, reticulated, with prominent veins, all 

 bearing tubercles, of a reddish yellow colour, becoming brown, but 

 generally one is much larger than the other two, of an oblong shape. 

 Stamens oblong, on slender filaments. Styles reflected, with tufted 

 stigmas, persistent on the point of the ovate acute three angled pale 

 brown shining nut, the angles blunt. 



Habitat. — Road sides, waste placcSj pastures, &c.; frequent. 



