. Field and woodland plants. l way-side plants which may beeasily distinguished as agroup by the followingcharacters :—At the basesof the alternate leaves aremembranous stipules thatform a sheath round thestem. The flowers aresmall, arranged in clustersin the axils of the leaves,or in terminal spikes orracemes. The fruit is asmall nut, enclosed moreor less in the persistentperianth. Three of the plants towhich we refer belong tothe genus Polygonum, inwhich the sheathing stipuleis usually fringed at theedge; and the small flowersare either green or red, witha perianth of five segments,and stame
. Field and woodland plants. l way-side plants which may beeasily distinguished as agroup by the followingcharacters :—At the basesof the alternate leaves aremembranous stipules thatform a sheath round thestem. The flowers aresmall, arranged in clustersin the axils of the leaves,or in terminal spikes orracemes. The fruit is asmall nut, enclosed moreor less in the persistentperianth. Three of the plants towhich we refer belong tothe genus Polygonum, inwhich the sheathing stipuleis usually fringed at theedge; and the small flowersare either green or red, witha perianth of five segments,and stamens not exceed-ing eight in number. Thelittle nuts, too, are eitherflattened or triangular. The three species may be identified by the following summary oftheir leach ng features : 1. The Spotted Persicaria [Polygonum Persicaria).—A verycommon wayside plant, and a weed of almost all cultivated soils,growing from one to two feet high, and flowering from July toOctober. The leaves have, usually, a dark-colom-ed patch in the. The Spotted persicaria. 206 FIELD AND WOODLAND PLANTS centre; and tlic stipules are fringed at the top with tine, stit? flowers arc rose-coloured, with more or less green, arranged inshort axillary or terminal spikes without any leaves; and the nutsare rather thick, but flattened, smootli, and glossy. 2. Pale-flowered Persicaria (P. lapathifvlium).—Very similar tothe Spotted Persicaria, and sometimes regarded as a variety ofthat species ; but it differs in that its leaves are never spotted,and the lower stipules are not fringed with hairs. The peduncleand perianth, whicli aie smooth in P. persicnria, are here rough,being dotted w ith small, projecting glands ; and the styles, whichare united to about half way up in the last species, are quite freein the present one. The flow crs are pink, with more or less green,and do not usually l)loom after August ; and the plant often attainsa length of tliree or four feet. 3, Knot-grass or Knot-weed {P. uv
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