488 ORDER CTL POLYGON ACE M. 



Genus I— PHYTOLACCA. L. 10—5. 

 (From phuton, a plant, and lacca, lac, from the color of the fruit.) 



Genus the same as the Order. 



1. P. decan'dba, (L.) Stem succulent, tinged with purple. Leaves 

 ovate, alternate, entire. Flowers in simple racemes, opposite the leaves. 

 Fruit superior, 10-celled, 10-seeded, dark purple. — If. May — Sept. 

 Cultivated grounds. Very common. 4- -10 feet. Pokeberry. 



Order CII.— POLYGONA'CE^E. {Buckwheat Family.) 



Perianth divided, inferior, aestivation imbricate. Stamens 

 definite, 5 — 9, inserted into the bottom of the perianth. Ovary 

 superior, with a single erect ovule. Styles or stigmas several. 

 Fruit usually a triangular nut. Seed with farinaceous albu- 

 men. Embryo inverted. Herbaceous plants, with alternate 

 leaves sheathing at the base. 



Genus L— ERIOGO'NUM. L. 9—12. 

 (From the Greek erion, wool, and gonu, Joint, from the joints being woolly.) 



Involucre campanulate, many-flowered. Perianth 6-cleft. 

 Stamens 9. Style 1. Stigmas 3. Seed 1 — 3-angled. 



1. E. tomento'sum, (Mich.) Stem erect, branching, somewhat dichot- 

 omous. Leaves oval-lanceolate, 3 at each division of the stem, sessile, 

 white, tomentose beneath ; lower leaves attenuate at the base. Flow- 

 ers in axillary sessile clusters. — If. June — Sept. Sand-hills. 1 — 2 ft. 



Getstjs II— POLYG'ONUM. L. 8—3. 

 (From the Greek polus, many, and gonu, joint.) 



Perianth 5-parted, petaloid, persistent. Stamens 4 — 9. 

 Styles usually 3. Fruit 1-seeded, mostly triangular. , 



a. Flowers axillary. Stamens 8. Stigmas 3. 



1. P. marit'imum, (L.) Stem glabrous, branching. Leaves lanceolate, 

 attenuate at the base, with revolute margins. Stipules large, frequent- 

 ly lacerate. Flowers axillary. Perianth white, tinged with red. — 21. 

 May — Sept. On the sea-coast. 1 — 2 feet. 



2. P. avtcula're, (L.) Stem procumbent, striate, glabrous, much 

 branched. Leaves alternate, elliptic-lanceolate, varying in size and 

 shape, margins scabrous. Stipules membranaceous. Flowers axillary, 

 few. Perianth persistent, greenish- white. — If. June — Oct. Common. 



Knot-grass. 



3. P. tenu'e, (Mich.) Stem slender, erect, branching, acutely angled. 

 Leaves linear, acuminate, straight. Stipules lacerate, villous at the 



