DESCRIPTION OF MEDICINAL PLANTS. 
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ored, enlarged afier flowering (in fruit called valves), and 
convergent over the 3-angled achene, veiny, bearingagrain- 
like tubercle on the bark. Valves round heart-shaped, ob- 
scurely denticulate or entire. Stamens 6. Styles 3. Flowers 
whorled in prolonged, wand- like racemes. Grows in damp 
places everywhere. FI. in June. The root is collected in 
spring. 
Rumex altissimus, Wood. Great Water-Dock. Tall and 
stout, 5-6° high ; leaves oblong-lanceolate, rather acute at 
both ends, transversely veined, and with obscurely erose- 
crenulate margins, the lowest, including petiole, 1-2° long; 
racemes upright in a large compound panicle, nearly leafless ; 
whorl crowded ; pedicels capillary, nodding, about twice the 
length of the fruiting calyx ; the valves orbicular or round- 
ovate, very obtuse, obscurely heart-shaped at base, finely 
reticulated, entire, or repand denticulate, 2-3" broad, all 
grain-bearing. In wet places, edge of pools. June- July. 
Everywhere. Collect the root. 
Rumex obtusifolius, L. Bitter Dock. Stem roughish ; lowest 
leaves ovate-heart-shaped, obtuse, rather downy on the veins 
beneath, somewhat wavy-margined, the upper oblong-lan- 
ceolate, acute. Whorls loose and distant; valves ovate- 
halbert-shaped, with some sharp, awl-shaped teeth at base, 
strongly reticulated, one of them principally grain-bearing. 
Very common. The root, collected in spring. 
Rumex Acetosella, L. Sheep-Sorrel. Low, 8-12' high ; leaves 
narrowly-lanceolate or linear, halbert-form, at least those of 
the root, the narrow lobes entire. Flowers dioecious, small, 
in a terminal naked panicle ; pedicels jointed with the flower ; 
valves scarcely enlarging in fruit, ovate, naked. Herbage 
sour. Roots running. FI. May. The leaves are used. 
Polygonum acre, H. B. K. Water-Smartweed. Perennial, 
homely weed, nearly smooth ; stems rooting at the decum- 
bent base, 3-5° high ; leaves 4-6' long, not jointed on the 
petiole, taper-pointed. Flowers in dense spikes, with small 
scarious bracts; spikes erect, flowers whitish, sometimes flesh- 
