Polygonum aviculare. Birds Polygonum or 
Knot-Grass. 
POLYGONUM Llnncei Gen PI. OctanGria Trigynia; 
Ceil. o. Cor. 5-partita, Calycina . Sem. 1. angulatum . 
Raii Syn.Gen. 5. Herbje flore imperfecto seu stamineo, (vel Apetala potius.) 
POLYGONUM avicuiare floribus oftandris trigynis axillaribus, foliis lanceolatis, caule procumbente 
POLYGONUM 
POLYGONUM 
POLYGONUM 
POLYGONUM 
POLYGONUM 
herbaceo. Linn. Syjl. Fegetab. p. 312. Sp. Pl. 5 i 9 . FI. Suecic. n. 339. 
procumbens, foliis linearibus, acutis, floribus folitariis. Haller hifl . n. 1560. 
aviculare. Scopoli FI. Carniol. n. 471. 
mas vulgare. Gerard emac. 451. 
mas vulgare majus. Parkinfon 443. 
feu Ceritinodia. 1 Bauhm 3. 374. Rail Syn. f. 146. Hudfin FI. Angi. p. 149. 
RADIX annua, fimplex, lignofa, multis fibris donata, 
terram firmiter apprehendens ut extirpatu diffi- 
cilis fit, fapore adftringente. 
CAULES plures, plerumque procumbentes, interdum 
vero fubere&i, dodrantales, ramofi, tenues, 
flrriati, laeves, teretes, geniculati, ad geniculos 
paululum incraflati. 
FOLIA quam maxime variantia, ovata, lanceolata aut 
etiam linearia, alterna, laevia, e vaginis ftipu- 
larum prodeuntia. 
STIPULAE vaginantes, membranaceae, albidae, nitidae, 
apice fibro fae. 
ROOT annual, fimple, woody, furniftied with many 
fibres, taking ftrong hold of the earth, fo as to 
be with difficulty pulled up, and of an aftrin- 
gent tafte. 
STALKS feveral, generally procumbent, fometimes 
nearly upright, about nine inches in length, 
branched, flender, ftriated, fmooth, round, 
jointed, the joints a little fwelled. 
LEAVES varying exceedingly, oval, lanceolate, or 
fometimes even linear, alternate, fmooth, 
proceeding from the flieaths of the Stipula;. 
STIPULaE forming a ffieath round the joints, mem- 
branous, white, fliining, at top fibrous. 
FLORES axillares, e vaginis flipularum cum foliis 
prodeuntia. 
CALYX : Perianthium quinquepartitum, laciniis o- 
vatis concavis, patentibus, dimidio inferiore 
viridi, fuperiore albo, fiepe colorato, fg. i, 2. 
COROLLA nulla. 
STAMINA: Filamenta o&o corolla breviora ; An- 
thers flavae,^. 2, audi. 
PISTILLUM: Germen triquetrum; Stylus longi- 
tudine ftaminum, trifidus; Stigmata tria, 
rotunda, fg. 3, autt. 
SEMEN triquetrum, nigricans, intra calycem, jig. 4. 
FLOWERS axillary, proceeding with the leaves from 
the flieaths of the Stipula;. 
CALYX : a Perianthium divided into five fegments, 
the laciniae oval, concave and fpreading, the 
lower half green, the upper half white and 
often coloured, Jig. 1, 2. 
COROLLA wanting. 
STAMINA : eight Filaments fliortcr than the Corolla, 
Antherje yellow. Jig. 2, magnified. 
PISTILLUM : Germen triangular ; Style the leno-th 
of the Stamina, trifid ; Stigmata three, round, 
Jig. 3, magnified. 
SEED triangular, of a blackifli colour, contained with- 
in the Calyx, fg. . 4. 
Thofe plants which have been obferved to be eaten by cattle, have often obtained the name of Grafs, al- 
though they have not poflefled the leaft fimilitude to thofe which are real Grafles, and the prefent plant is* one 
of thefe. Cattle in general are fond of it, and hogs in particular eat it with great avidity. The feeds afford 
fuftenance.to many of the fmall birds, whence it has acquired the name of aviculare. The Caterpillar of the * Phaleena 
rumicis (with us the Knot-grafs Moth,) I have frequently found feeding on its leaves, although it is by no means 
confined to this plant : in Sweden, Linnaeus informs us it feeds on the Dock (Rumex,) and Sow-thifle. 
This fpecies of Polygonum may be confidered as one of our moft common plants ; it delights to grow in a 
fandy or gravelly foil, on bank's, and by the fides of roads and paths, being of quick growth, and^fpreading 
a great deal of ground ; it often covers whole fields, that by turning in of cattle, have had their natural coac 
of grafs deftroyed. 
Where a plant of this fpecies happens to grow fingly in a rich foil, it will often cover the fpace of a yard 
or more in diameter, and the leaves become broad, and large ; but when it grows very thick together, by the 
lides of paths, it is in every refpeft fmaller, and the ftalks are more upright. It is fubjeft, like moft other 
plants, to feveral varieties, and of thefe are the Polygonum brevi angufoque folio , and the Polygonum oblongo angufo- 
que folio of C. Bauhine. 
It has been confidered by antient writers, as pofleffing fome medical virtue, particularly as an Aftrino-ent, 
and is by them recommended in Diarrhaeas, Dyfenteries, Bleeding at the nole, and other Hemorrhages ; but in 
the prefent practice, its ufe leems juftly fuperfeded by more efficacious medicines. 
* Vid. Linn, Faun. Suede, p. 318 . n. noo. Rocfd. cl. 2. Pap. Ntfi. 1. *7. Albin Inful, pL 2 2 . 
