Polygonum Hydropiper, Biting Persicaria or 
W ater Pepper. 
POLYGONUM Linntei Gen. PI. Octandria Trigynia. 
Cal. o. Cor. 5-partita, calycina. Sent. 1, angulatum, 
i Rat Syn. Gen. Herba; flore imperfecto seu Stamineo vel apetalo potius. 
POLYGONUM Hydropiper floribus hexandris femidigynis ; foliis lanceolatis, undulatis, immaculatis ; 
fpicis filiformibus nutantibus. 
POLYGONUM Hydropiper floribus hexandris femidigynis, foliis lanceolatis, ftipulis fubmuticis. Lina. 
Syft. Veget ab. p. 312. 
POLYGONUM foliis ovato lanceolatis, fpicis florigeris, vaginis calvis. Haller, hi/l. p. 2 56. n. 1554. 
POLYGONUM Hydropiper. Scopoli FI. Carniol. n. 467. 
PERSICARIA urens feu Hydropiper. Bauhin. pin. 101. 
PERSICARIA vulgaris acris feu minor. Parkinfon. 856. 
HYDROPIPER. Gerard. e7nac. 445. Rail Syn. p. 144. Water-pepper, Lakeweed or Arfmart. Hudfon 
FI. Angi. p. 148. 
RADIX annua, fibrofa. 
CAULIS eredtus, ramofus, bafi nonwunquam repens, 
pedalis ad tripedalem, geniculis incraflatis, de- 
mum ruberrimus. 
FOLIA lanceolata, undulata, e viridi flavefcentia, glabra. 
STIPULAE ciliatae. 
FLORES fpicati, fpica tenues , demum nutantes. 
CALYX : Perianthium quadripartitum, glandulis mi- 
nimis adfperfum, laciniis obtufls, concavis, jig. 
1 > 2, 3. 
COROLLA nulla. 
STAMINA : Filamenta fex alba ; Anthers alb* 
biloculares, jig. 3. 
PISTILLUM ; Germen ovatum ; Stylus bifidus, ad 
medium ufque divifus ; Stigmata duo, ro- 
tunda, Jig. 4, 5. 
SEMEN ovato-acuminatum, caftaneum, fig. 6. 
ROOT annual and fibrous.' 
STALK upright, branched, fometimes creeping at bot- 
tom, from one to three feet high, the joints 
fwelled, finally becoming very red. 
LEAVES lanceolate, waved, of a yellovvifh green colour 
and fmooth. 
STIPUL/E ciliated. 
FLOWERS growing in fpikes, which are Jlender and 
fmally droopmg. 
CALYX : a Perianthium divided into four fegments, 
fprinkled with very minute glands , the fegments 
blunt and hollow, fisc. 1, 2, 5. 
COROLLA wanting 
STAMINA fix white Filaments; Anthers white 
and bilocular, jig. 3. 
PISTILLUM: Germen oval; Style bifid, divided 
down to the middle; two round Stigmata, 
fig- 4, 5 - 
SEEDS of an oval pointed fhape, and chefnut -colour. 
fig- 6. 
is fo defervedly held 
and bk: "^ tafe - 
obfervable oil the Calyx with a fmall magnifier and which if e 'll f 1 J el tbc P )allt ’ but more particularly 
other part of the plant: this quality whfch i^UaT olhe If el W ‘ U be G ? u, ! d '° b T ,nore bi,i "S ' ha >' 4 
= variety of the Hydropiper, fcarce diffehr'V in” uty otto r fneft iitTe 8 , ■? ’ J 0 ®* ftch = 
f. the feme flotation as we ufually find the tn/fpecies • from the P P & Sl ■ * a-T = no " ?" d then met wi * 
fpikes, form and fee of its feeds ; and firft its Sare <if a vd lowef 'h ‘ ffT P rmci P a11 ? l«ves, 
any (pots ; its fpikes are (lender, and when the feeds are riobLv iZfY ? nd never marked with 
more acuminated, and of a chefnut colour ; its ftipidse an/vervLid d .i” * 1 * * * i” 5 , dow, i ' ; thc feeds are much larger, 
want of cilia: one of its flaking chara&r! Si L ™? f thou 8 h ™kes tEek 
miflead. S ’ ana f-tNNasus alfo calls the* Julmutica, which certainly tends to 
diuretic, henc/it is'liade ufe of in the Dro^/ a^^a^re^ndSe^iL 8 '™ “V?*? 1 ™ 1 m dect > a i»n it proves 
as^caci.sinthe Stone and Gravel: i/kLuI 
Although the herb is fo acrid, the feeds are inlipid and nutritive. 
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