372 POLTGONACE^. (buckwheat family.) 



in their place); leaves lanceolate. — Alpine sumnnits of the White Mountains, 

 New Hampshire, shore of Lake Superior, and northward. (Eu.) 



■^ 2. AMBLY6G0N0N, Meisn. — Calyx peld-like, 5-parted: stamens 7 : sti/le 2- 

 clefl : stigmas capitate : achenmm lenticular [cotyledons incumbeniy linear : albumen 

 floury) : annuals : flowers crowded in linear-cylindrical terminal spikes. 



2. P. orientAle, L. (I^hince's Feather.) Tall, branching, rather 

 hairy ; leaves ovate, pointed, petioled ; upper sheaths salver-form ; spikes nu- 

 merous, nodding ; the large bright rose-colored flowers open. — Sparingly 

 escaped from cultivation into waste grounds. Aug., Sept. (Adv. from Eu.) 



§3. PERSICARIA, Tourn. — Calyx petal-like, 5-parted: stamens 4-8: styles 

 2-3 or 2~3-clefl: stigmas capitate, often small: achemum lenticular, or [when 

 there are 3 stigmas) 3-sided [cotyledons accmnhent, narrow: albumen hard and 

 horny) : roots fibrous: sheaths cylindrical, truncate : flowers crowded in spikes or 

 spike-like racemes. 



* Sheaths naked : styles 2, or 2-cleflt : achemum flat or lenticular. 

 •t- Stamens 5 : spike mostly solitary, very dense : flowers rose-red: root pej-ennial. 



3. P. amphibium, L. (Water Persicaria.) Leaves elliptical- 

 lanceolate or oblong, pointed or obtusish, either narrowed or rather heart-shaped 

 at the base. — Var. 1. aquAticum, L., is floating or procumbent in soft mud, 

 rooting, and nearly smooth, as well as the long-petioled often obtuse floating 

 leaves. (P. coccineum, Bigel. P. flCiitans, Eaton.) — Var. 2. iekkestre is 

 more or less hairy or bristly, with an upright or ascending stem, growing in 

 marshy or muddy places ; the leaves acute or pointed, upper very short-petioled. 

 — Ponds or their low borders ; common, especially northward. July, Aug. — 

 Very variable in foliage, &c. ; spike oblong, l'-3' long, J'-f thick. (Eu.) 



^- +- Stamens 6 or 8: Sjiikes somewhat panicled, oblong or linear, densely flowered : 

 flowers rose or flesh-color : root annual. 



4. P. nodosiim, Pcrs., var. incarnatum. Stem upright (2° -4° 

 high), smooth below, the branches above, peduncles, Sfc. roughened with scattered 

 sessile glands; leaves rough on the midrib and margins, elongated-lanceolate 

 (4'-I0' long, l'-3' wide below), tapering gradually from towards the base to a 

 narrow point; spikes linear, nodding, hacom'mg slender (lJ'-3' long); stamens 

 6; style 2-parted, both included; achenium with concave sides. (P. incamatum, 

 Ell. P. lapathifolium, Amer. auth.) — Moist places, Michigan to Kentucky, 

 and common southward. Aug. - Sept. — Sheaths rather long, perfectly smooth 

 and naked on the margin. — This is not P. lapathifolium, but falls under P. no- 

 dosum as the species are lately distinguished by Meisner : our plant is appar- 

 ently indigenous, and so different from the European that it should perhaps bo 

 admitted as a species under Elliott's name. 



5. P. Pennsylvdnicum, L. Stem upright (l°-3° high), smooth 

 below, the branches above, and especially the peduncles, beset with bristly-stalked 

 glands ; leaves lanceolate, a little rough on the midrib and margins (1^'- 5' long) ; 

 spikes oblong, obtuse (l'-2' long), erect, thick; stamens mostly 8, somewhat exserted; 

 style 2-cleft; achenium with flat sides. — Moist soil, in open waste places; com- 

 mon. July - Oct. 



