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SORREL, COMMON. Rumex Acetosa. Bryant says the Irish, who are particularly fond of acids, eat the leaves with their milk and fish; and the Laplanders use the juice of them as rennet to their milk. The Greenlanders cure themselves of the scurvy, with the juice mixed with that of the scurvy-grass.
On the shaded riverbanks grew abundance of English genera Cynoglossum, Veronica, Potentilla, Ranunculus sceleratus, Rumex, several herbaceous Compositae and Labiatae; Tamarix formed a small bush in rocky hillocks in the bed of the river, and in pools were several aquatic plants, Zannichellia, Chara, a pretty little Vallisneria, and Potamogeton.
"I won!" he announced as he returned with our elongated and smiling host. "Licked Wilson, trifoliums and all, right here on his own ground! But he found a Rumex and a lot of other weeds, so he don't care." Miss Harding and I had discovered an oil painting in the club library which interested us, and when coffee and cigars had been served I asked Mr. Wilson about its history.
Of Ambulatores we met some, of the genera Cassicus, Motacilla, Muscicapa, Pyrgita, Saxicola, Cotile; of birds of prey, Percnopterus Jota Mol., and two buzzards; of Grallatores, two kinds of Hæmatopus, both with white legs, the one with a black body, as H. niger is described by Quoy and Gaimard, the other more similar to the European; a Vanellus with spurs to the wings, Numenius, Scolopax, Phalaropus, Ardea Nycticorax; and lastly a small bird with remarkably short legs, digitated, and with a short thick bill, frequenting the sea-shore, and feeding on seeds of Rumex and Polygonum, and constituting a new species, which may be called Thinocorus.
Many of the plants die every year, and prepare at the bottom a soil fit for the growth of a higher order of vegetation, Phragmites, Acorus, Sparganium, Rumex, Lythrum, Pedicularis, Spiraea, Polystichum, Comarum, Caltha, etc., etc.
Here the glaucous appearance is due to wax distributed in fine particles over the surface of the leaves, and in the green variety this wax is lacking. Other instances could be given as in the green varieties of Papaver alpinum and Rumex scutatus. No positive instances are recorded in this case. Spines and prickles may often disappear and give rise to unarmed and defenceless types.
The seeds may be sown, or the roots planted, in spring or autumn; it is not in general cultivation, but is to be found abundantly wild in meadows, &c. SORREL, ROUND-LEAVED, or FRENCH. Rumex scutatus.
The flowers are of a different nature, being in taste little other than mucilaginous and sweetish, and of a light pleasant smell. The pulpy part of the berries appears also to be harmless. The bark macerated in water has of late been much employed in France as a topical application to the skin for the purpose of excoriating and exciting a discharge. RUMEX acutus.
RHUS Cotinus. VENUS'S SUMACH. The bark of the stalks produces a yellow colour; the bark of the roots produces a red. RHUS coriaria. ELM-LEAVED SUMACH. This plant is possessed of the same qualities as the one above. RUBIA tinctorum. The root produces a red colour. For its culture, see p. 32. RUMEX maritima. DOCK. The whole herb gives out a yellow colour. SALIX pentandra.
The juice of black currants boiled up with sugar to a jelly, is an excellent remedy against sore throats. RUMEX Hydrolapathum. THE GREAT WATER DOCK. The leaves of the docks gently loosen the belly, and have sometimes been made ingredients in decoctions for removing a costive habit.
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