274 



WEEDS AXD rSLTUL PLAXTS, 



Gbs. "Very general".;" ' :;d for its fine : : —hieli 



there are several var: That one caEed • ~ 1-: — ^v:-"_i a 



pale, yellowish root — is ex:v:>: ' : :':''"a:ed, on the o ::::::::::: ci Eu- 

 rope, for the purpose of in:.l: '. _ - ... v. — ...id has bee*:: 7 tried ia 

 this country: but while we have tl:.^ .■^^ugar-niaple and Sugar-cane to 

 supply us, it is not probable the Beet will be much relied upon, for that 

 object. A large rooted variety of B. Ckla, L. (a nearly allied species), 

 called Mangel Wurtzel, or Scarcity Boot, is sometimes cultivated for 

 stock, — and is probably entitled to more r;:'::.::on than it has yet 

 received from our farmers — who are not gci. ■: ./.; ;\^rtial to the culture 

 of root crops. 



3. BLI'TUM, Tournif. Bute. 



[The ancient Greek and Latia name of some pot-herl).] 



Caylx 3-5-parted. either unchanged or (in the species here r:-:::-?:! be- 

 coming berry-Iike in frait, not appendaged. Sta7nens 1-': 

 filiform. Styles, or stigmas, 2. Seed vertical, compres.- : 1 : ular; 

 the m^r?/o coiled into a ring quite around the albn'T.r::. Hr ^j -^^dth 

 petioled triangular, or halberd-shaped, and mostly sinuate-io jiiied uzves. 



1. B. capita 'turn, L. Stem ascending, branching ; leaves triangular- 

 ha?tate, acute, sinuately toothed : flowers interniptedly spiked : calyx 

 pulpy and bright-red in fruit. 

 Clusteeed Blitum. Strawberry Blite. 



Annual, about a foot long, diffusely t)ranc]ied. Flojva'S in dense rcnndisli clusters 



wliich are collected towards the summit of tlie liranches. 



Oa recently turned grounds and dry plac-es, especially westward. June. Also a native 

 of Europe. 



Obs. We are not informed whether this is a troublesome weed, but as it 

 is rather common in some places, and as it must, from the strawberry-like 

 appearance of its ripe fruit, attract the notice of the observing farmer, 

 we give it a place. 



4. SPIXA'CIA, Touriief. Spixach. 



[Latin, Spina, a thorn ; the covering of the fruit being often prickly.] 



Flowers DicEcious : Stam. Fl. Calyx 4-5-parted, — the lobes equal. 

 Pistillate Fl. Calyx ventricose-tubular, 2 - 3-toothed. Ovary ovoid ; 

 styles 4, elongated, filiform. Akene included in the turgid indm-ated 

 calyx, wliich is often 2- 3-horned on the back. vertical, compress- 



ed ; enibryo annular, surrounding the farinaceous albumen. Merhaceous : 

 fiowers axillary, glomerate, — the staminate ones in racemose-paniculate 

 clusters. 



1. S. olera'cea, Miller. Leaves petiolate, hastate-lanceolate, often ii>- 

 cised at base, or sagittate and entire. 

 PoT-HEUB Spixacia. Spinach, or Spmage. 



