POLYGONACER. 69 
but this requires confirmation. In Ireland it is not unfrequent, and 
is found all round the island. 
England, Scotland, Ireland. Annual or Bicnnial. Summer, 
Autumn. 
Very similar to the form littorale of P. aviculare, but usually with 
the leaves more approximate, the ochree broader and more funnel- 
shaped, the silvery portion longer and very conspicuous towards the 
apex of the branches. Leaves % to 1} inch long, variable in breadth; 
the specimens I have scen from the east coast having them strapshaped- 
elliptical and acute, while in Irish and Jersey specimens they are oval- 
elliptical and subacute, in all cases making no great angle with the 
stem, and those at the extremity of the branches nearly erect. The 
flowers are usually 3 together. Perianth 4+ inch long, usually green; 
the segments with red, more rarely rose colour or white, margins, some- 
times crimson throughout. Nut with the point projecting far beyond 
the perianth, highly polished, and appearing shagreened only under a 
powerful lens: this is the only certain distinction between this plant 
and P. aviculare. The plant is pale green, sometimes slightly glaucous. 
Mr. Bentham appears to consider this rather a young and luxuriant 
state than a variety of P. maritimum, but I have often seen the full- 
grown stem in autumn only 3 inches long, when the plant was neither 
young nor luxuriant. Mr. H. C. Watson has cultivated P. Raii and 
. maritimum, and found them remain distinct. 
On the east coast of Scotland this plant is always annual, but in 
the south and west it seems to be biennial, possibly even perennial. 
Ray's Knotgrass. 
SPECIES VI—POLYGONUM MARITIMUM. Lim. 
Prats MOCXXXIII. 
Billot, Fl, Gall. et Germ. Exsice. No. 682. 
Annual, biennial, or perennial. Stem herbaceous, or in old plants 
woody at the base, branched. Leaves shortly stalked or the upper 
ones sessile, coriaceous, with reflexed margins, oval or oblong-oval or 
oblong-elliptical, entire, attenuated at the base, subacute, with the 
veins distinctly raised beneath. Ochre chestnut at the base, with 6 
to 12 strong generally forked nerves, silvery white and at length 
laciniate at the apex. Flowers in lateral fascicles of 2 to 4, or 
rarely solitary, combined into terminal simple interrupted spikelike 
racemes, leafy throughout, the lower fascicles so far separate that they 
scarcely form part of the spike. Pedicels erect, usually a little longer 
than the nut, articulated immediately below the base of the perianth. 
Perianth coloured or subherbaceous, scarcely enlarged in fruit, attenu- 
