488 ORDER CTI. POLYGONACE^. 



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 CIL— POLYGONA'CE^. (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 I.— ERIOGO'NUM. L. 9—12. 

 (From tho 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. — 2£ . June — Sept. Sand-hills. 1 — 2 ft. 



Gemjs II.— POLYGONUM. L. 8—3. 

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



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

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



a. Flowers axillary. Stamens 8. Stigmas 3. 



1. P. maiut'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. — If. 

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



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

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

 Bhape, margins scabrous. Stipule* membranaceous. Floiccrs axillary, 

 few. Pertanth persistent, greenish-white. — 2£. June — Oct. Common. 



Knot-grass. 



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

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



