KNOT-GRASS. — BLACKBIND WEED. FUMITORY. 



25 



The most common species is called " Aviculare," from the 

 gratefulness of its seeds to small birds ; it grows in great 

 abundance on road sides^ on sandy and gravelly soils, and 

 also on cultivated fields, and covers much ground where the 

 natural plants have been destroyed. The flowers are axillary ; 

 styles three. Leaves elHptic, lanceolate, rough-edged. Ribs 

 of the stipules remote. Stem procumbent, herbaceous. The 

 crimson flowers are very numerous, and very beautiful under 

 a magnifier. The root is annual, and of an astringent taste, 

 and once reckoned of some medical virtue, but now wholly 

 superseded. All quadrupeds are fond of the plant, and hence 

 it is called knot-grass," though it bears no resemblance to 

 the real grasses. 



The seeds are numerous, and the habits are traiUng, and 

 the mode of extirpation consists in preventing its seeding, by 

 a timely cutting of the plants. It is not among the most 

 troublesome weeds. 



The " Blackbind weed," or the Polygonum convolvulus," 

 is often found as a weed on cultivated fields. It is annual, 

 and twines round the stems of plants to the height of three 

 feet or more, with a stem roughish, angular, and somewhat 

 branched. The prevention of the seeds being perfected, by 

 means of a careful and constant culture, is the sure means of 

 eradication. 



19. " Fumitory," or the Fumaria" of botany, is a common 

 and very abundant weed on soft loams of the best quality. 

 The plant belongs to the class and order Diadelphia hexan- 

 dria" of Linneus, and the natural order " Papaveraceae " of 

 Jussieu. 



Generic character. — Calyx : perianth inferior, of two equal, 

 small leaves, mostly deciduous, often coloured. Corolla 

 tubular, ringent, of two petals, each lobed, and spreading at 

 the extremity, gibbous, and holding honey at the base, 

 variously formed in different species. Stamina : filaments 

 six, capillary, united into two sets by their broad, elongated, 

 membranous bases, sheathing the germen; anthers small, 

 roundish, vertical. Pistil: germen roundish or oblong; 

 style curved or oblique ; stigma obtuse. Pericarp : 



