POLYGONACER. 47 
especially intended the Rumex sylvestris of Wallroth (Sched. Crit. 
p- 161). It ought to be looked for in Scotland, and may be readily 
known by its more abruptly acuminate, smaller, and shorter fruit 
petals, shortly toothed towards the base, and with a less strongly 
marked network of veins. I am unacquainted with the plant, but 
Koch says it passes into R. obtusifolius by numerous intermediate 
forms, so that at the utmost it appears to be only a subspecies. 
Broad-leaved Dock. 
French, Patience @ fewilles obtuses. German, Stwmpfblittriger Ampfer. 
SPECIES VII-RUMEX PRATENSIS. Mert. and Koch. 
Prate MCCXVI. 
R. acutus, Fries, Summ. Veg. Scand. pp. 52 and 202. Gren. & Godr. Fl. de Fr, Vol. II. 
p. 38 (non Linn. Herb.!). . 
R. cristatus, Wallr. Sched. Crit. p. 163 (non D.C.). 
Leaves thin, the radical ones broadly-oblong or lanceolate-oblong, 
not panduriform, subcordate or rounded at the base, subacute, crenate- 
repand and slightly undulated at the margins; lower stem leaves 
similar, but narrower, on shorter stalks, not cordate at the base, and 
more acute; leaves at the base of the whorls strapshaped-elliptical, 
shortly-stalked. Branches of the panicle ascending-erect, leafless 
except at the very base. Pedicels about twice as long as the fruit 
petals, articulated considerably below the middle, spreading nearly all 
round the stem. Enlarged petals in fruit roundish-deltoid, subcordate 
at the base, obtuse, cut into several short deltoid-triangular-acuminate 
teeth in the basal two-thirds, strongly reticulate ; one of the lower ones 
considerably smaller than the upper one, and each of them with a very 
slender linear-lanceolate tubercle, sometimes reduced to a thickened 
midrib, or with a more prominent lanceolate one, rarely with an ovoid 
tubercle; the upper petal with a large short ovate-ovoid tubercle; 
tubercles not muricated. 
By roadsides and in waste ground, cultivated fields and pastures. 
Rather rare, but probably distributed over the greater part of England ; 
for though it has been recorded from only about half the counties, it 
is very liable to be passed over as R. obtusifolius or R. crispus. Rare in 
Scotland, where I have gathered it only near Musselburgh and Aber- 
deen. Rare in Ireland, where it has occurred near Killarney and 
Belfast, and in co. Mayo. 
England, Scotland, Ireland. Perennial. Summer, Autumn. 
R. pratensis differs from R. obtusifolius in the leaves being narrower, 
less cordate at the base, and more acute; the stem leaves especially are 
