382 THE POLYGONUM FAMILY. 
In meadows, and waste places, usually in richer and wetter situations — 
than &. sanguineus, widely spread over Europe and central and Russian 
Asia, except the extreme north, and apparently naturalised in many 
other parts of the world. Generally distributed over Britain, but not 
always readily distinguished from R. sanguineus. Fl. summer, [An 
erect maritime variety, with narrower root-leaves, tapering panicle, 
fewer narrower bracts, and larger fruiting sepals, occurs on all the 
southern coasts, and is the A. rupestris, Le Gall. ] 
6. R. sanguineus, Linn. (fig. 863). Red-veined D.—Stem not so 
tall as in most of the preceding species, seldom above 2 feet, and more 
branched. Radical leaves oblong or lanceolate, sometimes cordate at the — 
base, waved on the edges, and sometimes narrowed in the middle as in 
R. pulcher. Panicle leafy at the base, with stiff, though slender, very 
spreading branches; the whorls of flowers all distinct. Pedicels shorter 
than in the foregoing, but longer than in the following species. Fruiting 
perianths small; the inner segments narrow, and entirely or scarcely 
toothed, one about 14 lines long, with a large tubercle, the two others 
usually smaller, without any or only a very small tubercle. 
On roadsides, in ditches, pastures, and waste places, throughout Europe 
and Russian Asia, except the extreme north, usually accompanying R. 
crispus and FR. obtusifolius. Abundant in Britain. Fl.summer. It varies 
considerably, and often assumes a red tint, especially on the leafstalks 
and panicle. 
7. R. pulcher, Linn. (fig. 864). Fiddle D.—A rather low species, 
often not a foot high, and seldom 2 feet, with stiff, very spreading 
branches. Leaves chiefly radical, oblong, cordate at the base, and often 
narrowed in the middle. Whorls of flowers all quite distinct, forming 
very compact clusters; the fruiting pedicels thickened and recurved, 
shorter than the perianth. Inner segments toothed, as in R. obtusifolius, 
but narrow-ovate, all 8, or only 1 or 2 of them bearing a tubercle, which 
is often itself tubercled. 
On roadsides and in waste places, in central and southern Europe and 
western Asia, very common in the Mediterranean region, but not extend- 
ing into northern Germany. In Britain, chiefly in southern England, but 
occurs as far north as Nottingham and North Wales, 7. summer. 
8. R. maritimus, Linn. (fig. 865), Golden D.—Stem 1 to 14 feet 
high, often much branched. Leaves narrow-lanceolateor linear. Flowers 
very small and very numerous, densely crowded in globular axillary 
whorls, even the upper floral leaves being much longer than the flowers, 
Pedicels slender but short. Inner segments of the fruiting perianth 
lanceolate or triangular, fringed with rather long fine teeth, and with 
a narrow-oblong tubercle upon each segment. The whole plant, and 
especially the perianth, often assumes a yellowish hue, 
In marshes, chiefly near the sea, in temperate Europe and Russian Asia, 
extending northwards into Scandinavia. In Britain, apparently confined 
to England and Ireland. Fl. summer. A more luxuriant variety, with 
the whorls more distant, and rather shorter points to the teeth of the 
perianth-segments, has been distinguished as R. palustris, Sm. 
9. R. Acetosa, Linn. (fig. 866). Sorrel D.—Stems scarcely branched, 
1 to 2 feet high. Leaves chiefly radical, oblong, 3 to 5 inches long, 
sagittate at the base with broad pointed auricles, of a bright green, and 
very acid ; the stem-leaves few, on shorter stalks, Flowers dicecious — 
