Tab. 5670. 



THAPSIA decipiens. 



Madeiran Tliapsia. 



Nat. Ord. Umbelliferje. — Pextandkia Dic.ynia. 



Gen, Char. Calycis dentes inconspicui. Petala cuneato-obovata, apicc in- 

 nexa, Integra v. ob costam impressam 2-fida. Discus depressus v. explanatus, 

 stylopodiis variis. Fructus oblongus, a dorso compressus, carpellis dorso 

 leviter convexis 2-alatis ; juga primaria filiformia, asqualia, obtusa, latoralia 

 inter alas juxta commissuram sita, secundaria dorsalia primariis coafbrmia, 

 Jateralia in alas latas cum plaga commissurali continuas expansa ; vitta sub 

 jugis secundariis v. omnibus solitaria?. Carpopkorum 2-partitum. Semen 

 com plan atum. — Herba3 Mediterranean et Madeirenae«,jwett«tf* v. bietmee, 

 sapius elatce, caudice nunc valde elongato frutescentes. Folia pinnatim de- 

 composita, segmentis inciso-pinnatijidis. Umbella; comjyositce, muUiradiatce. 

 Jnvolucrum saepius 0; involucellorum bract cae paucm parv<e 9, 0. Florea 

 flavicantes, sordide albi x. purpHrascentes. 



Thapsia dccipiens ; caule nudo erecto gracili simplici annulato apice f'o- 

 lioso, foliis 2-3-pinnatisectis, segmentis ovatis ovato-lauceolatusve in- 

 eiso-serratis nunc lobulatis, petiolis rachi costaque subtus tomentosia, 

 umbcllis in panicalas elatas ramosaa dispositis pubesceutibu^, involu- 

 cri foliolis 10-12 oblongis inciso-serratis v. pinnatiseetis, carpellorum 

 alia serratis. 



Selinuk decipieus. Schrad. et Wendl. Sert. Ham. v. 3. p. 23. t. 18. 



Melanoselinum decipiens. Hoffm. TJmb. ed. 2. v. I. p. l5G,exI)C. Frodr. 

 v. 4*. p. 208. Lowe, Manual of Flora of Madeira, p. 862. 



This is one of the most remarkable Umbelliferous plants 

 in cultivation, and though of little beauty as regards inflo- 

 rescence, is in habit and foliage an extremely elegant and 

 graceful plant. Unlike its congener, it has a slender, erect, 

 annulate, palm-like stem, two to four or even six feet high, 

 and half to one inch in diameter, bearing at the top a splen- 

 did waving crown, three to four feet across, of two to three 

 pinnatisect leaves. It is a native of rocky gorges in the 

 island of Madeira, where it was first brought to light, in 

 1829, by the Rev. R. T. Lowe, M.A.. the distinguished in- 

 vestigator of the natural history of the Madeira, Canarian, 



'6 l 

 octobee 1st, 18G7. 



