284 



WEEDS A2>D USEFUL TLANTS. 



Fr, Patience frisee. Germ. Krauser Ampfer. 



Boot ratlier large, fusiform, yellow. Stem 2 - 3 or 4 feet high, ang\ .lar-fculcate, smooth- 

 ish, pauiculately branched ahove. Radical leaves 8-12 or 15 inches long, and 1 -2 or 3 

 inches wide ; petioles 2-4 inches long ; the stem-lsaves smaller, linear-lanceolate. Floiven 

 in crowded verticillate fascicles, with scarious involucres at base. Calyx green ; inner 

 sepals much larger than the outer ones, entire or obsoietely denticulate near the base, — 

 each with an ovoid acuminate excrescence, or grain, on the back. 



Moist grounds ; meadows, &:c.: introduced. Native of Europe. FZ. May -July. Fr 

 July - September. 



Obs. The radical leaves of tliis are often used as a pot-herb, or early 

 " greens ; " but the plant is au unsightly and troublesome weed, — and 

 has become so extensively naturalized as to require a yigilaut attention 

 to keep it in due subjection. 



Inner sepals dentate, — one principally graniferous. 



2. Pi. ohtusifo'lius, L. Radical leaves subcordate-oblong, obtuse, crenu- 

 late ; verticils loose and rather distant. 



Obtuse-leaved Eumex. Bitter Dock. Broad-leaved Bock. 



Eoot thickish, branching, brown externally, yellow within. Stem 2-4 feet high, angu ■ 

 lar-sulcate, roughish, paniculately branched. Radical haves 8-12 inches long, and 4-6 

 inches wide : petioles 3-6 inches long. Floivers in interrupted verticillate fascicles. Cali/s 

 green, — the inner sepals with long acute teeth near the base, and one of them bearing a 

 large grain on the back. 



Grass lots; gardens, meadows, <fcc. : introduced. Native of Europe. J7. June - July. 

 F>-. August- September. 



Obs. This species is even more worthless than the preceding ; but — 

 although completely naturalized — it is not quite so prevalent. The 

 presence of either imparts a very slovenly appearance to a meadow or 

 pasture lot. 



^ 2 Flowers dicBcious : herbage acid. 



3. R. Acetose'lla, L. Leaves lanceolate-hastate, — the lobes acute, 

 spreading ; inner sepals entire. 



Sheep Sorrel. Field Sorrel. 



Fr. Petite Oseille. Germ. Ber Sauer Ampfer, Span. Acederilla. 



.S';em6-12 or 15 inches high, slender, branching, somewhat angular and furrowed. 

 Leaves 1-2 inches long, — the Tower ones mostly all hastate and on petioles as long or longer 

 than the leaves — the upper ones on short petioles, and sometimes not hastate. Floivers in 

 paniculate racemes, finally becoming purple,— the verticils 6-8-llowered. ristillaie 

 pla.nts mostly taller than the staminate. 



Sandy flefds and pastures ; about old stumps, kc: introduced. Native of Em-ope. Fl. 

 May. Fr. August. 



Obs. This little species (well known for its acidity.) is often so abun- 

 dant as to be a nuisance on the farm. Improving the land — especially 

 by adequate dressings of Lime — is believed to be the best mode of ex- 

 pelling this, as well as many other obnoxious plants. 



4. EHE'mi, L. Reubarb. 



[ircm EJia, the ancient name of the river Volga, — its native region.] 



Calyx of G sepals, in a double series, persistent and shrivelling. Sta?nens 

 9, arranged in pairs opposite the outer sepals, and singly opposite the 



