284 



^^'EEDS AXD USEFUL PLANTS. 



Fr. Patience frisee. Germ. Krauser Ampfer. 



Boot rather large, fusiform, yellow. Stevi 2-3 or 4 feet higli, angular -sulcate, smooth- 

 ish, paniculately branched above. Radical leaves S-12 or 15 inches long, and 1 -2 or 3 

 inches wide ; petioles 2-4 inches long ; the stem-leaves smaller, linear-lanceolate. Flowers 

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

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

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



Moist grounds ; meadows, &c.: introduced. Native of Europe. 2^Z. May - July . Fr. 

 July -September. 



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

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

 has become so extensively naturalized as to require a vigilant attention 

 to keep it in due subjection. 



Timer sepals dentate, — one principally graniferous. 



2. R. obtusifo'lius, L. Radical leaves subcordate-oblong, obtuse, crenu- 

 late ; verticils loose and rather distant. 



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



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

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

 inches wide ; petioles 3-6 inches long. Flowers in interrupted verticillate fascicles. Calyx 

 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, &c.: introduced. Native of Europe. Fl. June -July. 

 i?r. 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 

 pastui'e lot. , 



§ 2. Flowers di<zcious : herbage acid. 



3. R. Acetos'ella, L. Leaves lanceolate-hastate, — the lobes acute, 

 spreading ; inner sepals entire . 



Sheep Sorrel. Field Sorrel. 



Fr. Petite Oscille. Germ. Der Sauer Ampfer. Span. Acederilla. 



stem Q -12 or 15 inches high, slender, branching, somewhat angular and furrowed. 

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

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

 paniculate racemps, finally becoming purple, — the verticils 6-8-flowered. Pistillate 

 plants mostly taller than the staminate. 



Sandy fields and pastures ; about old stumps, &c.: introduced. Native of Europe. 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. RHE'UM, L. Reubaeb. 



[From Rha, the ancient name of the river Volga, — its native region.] 



Calyx of 6 sepals, in a double series, persistent and shrivelling. Stamem 

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



