POLYGONATUM 



THE BULB BOOK 



POLYGONUM 



P. oiBcinale (P. vvlgare ; Conval- 

 laria Polygonatwn).^K pretty species 

 found wild sometimes on wooded 

 limestone cliffs in the British Islands. 

 It grows 6 to 12 ins. high, and has 

 oblong stem-clasping leaves 3 to 4 ins. 

 long. The greenish - white flowers 

 appear in May and June, and are 

 succeeded by bluish - black berries. 

 The variety Tnacranthum from Japan 

 has larger flowers and grows taller. 

 {Bot. Mag. t. 6133.) 



Fig. 295. — FolygowJivm muliiflorum. (i.) 



P. opposltifolimn ( Convallaria 

 oppodtifolia ). — A fine Himalayan 

 plant, 2 to 4 ft. high, having opposite 

 oblong pointed leaves, and corymbs 

 of greenish-white flowers ribbed with 

 red, drooping from the stems in April 

 and May {Bot. Mag. t. 3529). 



The variety alho - vittatum has 

 reddish stems, and leaves striped 

 with ivory or yellowish-white. Scarlet 

 berries succeed the blossom lin due 

 course. 



This species is practically hardy, 

 but may require a little covering of 

 litter or bracken in severe winters. 



P. punotatum. — This is found wild 

 on the Himalayas at an altitude of 

 7000 to 11,000 ft. It has angular, 

 furrowed stems 1 to 2 ft high, oblong 

 lance-shaped leaves 2 to 3 ins. long, 

 and greenish - white flowers dotted 

 with lilac in May and June. {Bot. 

 Mag. t. 5061.) 



P. roseum. — A variable species from 

 Central Siberia, with furrowed stems 



2 to 3 ft. high, narrow lance-shaped 

 leaves 3 to 5 ins. long, opposite or in 

 whorls, and pairs of rosy cylindrical 

 flowers in May and June {Bot. Mag. 

 t. 5049). 



P. verticillatum {Convallaria ver- 

 ticillata). — A rare British plant, 2 to 



3 ft. high, with whorls of narrow 

 lance - shaped leaves fringed with 

 hairs on the margins. The greenish 

 flowers appear in June and July, and 

 are followed by red berries later on. 

 {Lodd. Bot. Gab. t. 1108.) 



POLYGONUM (poly, many; gonu, 

 a knee, a joint ; in reference to the 

 numerous joints in the stems). Knot 

 Gkass, Knot Weed. Nat. Ord. Poly- 

 gonaceae. — A large genus of coarse- 

 growing but ornamental plants, some 

 species of which have fibrous, others 

 — those mentioned below — tuberous 

 or rhizomatous root -stocks. They 

 flourish in ordinary garden soil, some- 

 times so freely that they are apt to 

 invade the space desired for choicer 

 plants. Propagation is easily managed 

 by division of the root-stocks, if 

 necessary. 



P. amplexlcaule. — ^A fine Hima- 

 layan species, 2 to 3 ft. high, having 

 fleshy rhizomes, heart-shaped, pointed, 

 stem-clasping leaves, and racemes of 

 bright rose-red or white blossoms 

 during the summer months {Bot. 

 Reg. 1839, t. 46 ; Bot. Mag. t. 6500). 



P. Bistorta.— This is the " Bistort " 

 or " Snake - root " of our British 

 meadows and pastures. It has 



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