POLYGONACM. 



711 



On roadsides, in ditches, pastures, 

 and waste places, throughout Europe 

 and Russian Asia, except the extreme 

 north, usually accompanying the curled 

 D. and the broad D. Abundant in Bri- 

 tain. Ft. summer. It varies considerably, 

 and often assumes a red tint, especially 

 on the leafstalks and panicle. 



Fig. 855. 



7. Piddle Dock. Rumex pulcher, Linn. (Fig. 856.) 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 1576.) 



A rather low species, often not a foot 

 high, and seldom 2 feet, with stiff, very 

 spreading branches. Leaves chiefly ra- 

 dical, 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 the broad D., but narrow-ovate, 

 all 3, or only 1 or 2 of them bearing a 

 tubercle. 



On roadsides and in waste places, in 

 central and southern Europe and west- 

 ern Asia, very common in the Mediter- 

 ranean region, but not extending into 

 northern Germany. In Britain, chiefly 

 in southern England, but occurs as far 

 north as Nottingham and Stafford. Fl. 



Fig. 856. 



