34 BULLETIN 1345, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
FAGOPYRUM ESCULENTUM Moench 
Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) (27) is included here merely 
because of its botanical relationship to the wild species of the same 
plant family, some of which are valuable forage plants in the range 
country. 
The average composition of four samples analyzed in several agri- 
cultural experiment stations was, moisture, 21.6 per cent, and, on a 
water-free basis, 11.8 per cent of ash, 2.6 per cent of ether extract, 
26 per cent of crude fiber, 46.2 per cent of nitrogen-free extract, 
and 13.4 per cent of protein. The average composition of five sam- 
ples of straw analyzed in several agricultvral experiment stations 
was, moisture, 10 per cent, and, on a water-free basis, 6 per cent 
of ash, 1.5 per cent of ether extract, 48.4 per cent of crude fiber, 
38.7 per cent of nitrogen-free extract, and 5.4 per cent of protein. 
POLYGONUM AVICULARE L. 
Polygonum aviculare is a prostrate wiry-stemmed annual weed, 
with branching green stems, 6 to 12 inches long, and small leaves. 
One of the knotweeds, it is a common dooryard and wayside weed, 
introduced from Europe and scattered widely all over the United 
States. 
A sample analyzed in the South Dakota experiment station (25) 
contained, on an air-dry basis, 6.9 per cent of moisture, and, on a 
water-free basis, 5.9 per cent of ash, 2.9 per cent of ether extract, 
20.3 per cent of crude fiber, 52.1 per cent of nitrogen-free extract, 
and 18.8 per cent of protein. 
On the range, P. aviculare forms part of the summer forage crop. 
POLYGONUM ERECTUM L. 
Polygonum erectum is an annual weed, with slender green stems, 
similar to P. aviculare, but erect and spreading, 1 to 2 feet high. The 
leaves are small, and the flowers are very inconspicuous. It is an- 
other of the knotweeds that grow on the western plains. 
A sample analyzed in the South Dakota experiment station (25) 
contained, on an air-dry basis, 9.8 per cent of moisture, and. on a 
water-free basis, 6.6 per cent of ash, 1.8 per cent of ether extract, 
32.1 per cent of crude fiber, 48.1 per cent of nitrogen-free extract, 
and 11.4 per cent of protein. 
POLYGONUM RAMOSSISSIMUM Michx. 
Polygonum ramossissimum is a widely branching, green-stemmed 
annual, ordinarily from 6 inches to 1 foot high, but in favorable ~ 
soils reaching a height of more than 3 feet. The stems are slender 
and tough, with frayed brownish scales at the joints. The leaves 
are an inch long or less and about one-third as broad. The small 
white flowers are borne with the leaves. The fruit is a triangular 
one-seeded pod, something like a buckwheat “seed.” Ordinarily a 
wayside or garden weed, this species grows in sandy soils all over 
the United States except in the far northeastern and the most 
southern States. 
