POLYGONACE. 57 
3-lobed, the central lobe increasing slightly in breadth towards the 
apex, the two lateral lobes shorter and commonly standing out at 
right angles to the middle lobe, sometimes with a projecting tooth on 
the basal side; stem leaves not much larger than the radical ones, the 
longest not measuring more than 3 inches. Ochrex at length much 
torn and silvery white. Panicles of male flowers larger than those of 
the female, the latter with 4 to 8 flowers in a whorl. Fruit petals 
about 3}; inch long, commonly red, but not membranous as in the two 
preceding species, closely adpressed to the nut, which is with difficulty 
extracted from them. Nut ;; inch long, globular-trigonous, pale 
: ailery brown, smooth, shining; the faces are said, in the Flore de 
France (Gren. & Godr.), to be often tubercular, but I have never found 
them so after the petals have been removed. Plant dark green, often 
tinged with red in autumn. 
Sheep’s Sorrel. 
French, Patience petite oseille. German, Kleiner Ampfer. 
This species much resembles the former, but is altogether smaller and less active in 
its properties, 
GENUS IT.—OXYRIA. Hill. 
Flowers perfect. Perianth herbaceous, of 4 segments in 2 rows, the 
2 outer ones (sepals) not accrescent, the 2 inner ones (petals) becom- 
ing slightly larger and scarious and coloured in fruit, none of them 
with tubercles. Stamens 6: 4 of them in 2 pairs, opposite the external 
leaves of the perianth, the remaining 2 before the inner perianth 
leaves; anthers versatile, movable. Styles 2, exceedingly short; 
stigmas multifid. Fruit a lenticular broadly winged achene, much 
longer than the inner perianth leaves. Seed compressed; albumen 
copious, mealy; embryo situated in the axis of the albumen. 
Small perennial plants with acid juice. The leaves almost all 
radical, roundish-reniform, and deeply cordate. Flowers in whorls 
arranged in racemes; which are generally combined into panicles. 
The name of this genus of plants seems to be derived from the Greek word dfi¢ 
(ovus), sharp, in allusion to the qualities of the species. 
SPECIES lI—OXYRIA RENIFORMIS. Hook. 
Pirate MCCXXV. 
O. digyna, Campdera; Fries, Summ. Veg. Scand. p. 52. Koch, Syn. Fl. Germ. et Helv. 
ed. ii. p. 710. Gren. & Godr, Fl. de Fr. Vol. IIL. p. 34. 
Rumex digynus, Linn. Sm. Engl. Bot. No. 910. 
Wing of the achene subcordate at the base, with a small narrow 
notch at the apex, entire on the margin. 
VOL. VIII. I 
