255 UMBELLIFERS. 
Opvopanax. Koch. 
nbels compound. Involucres general and partial, of few bracts. Petals 
roundish, entire, with an involute point. Calyx obsolete. Fruit thin, 
compressed from the back. Ridges 3, filiform. Vitte 3 to each 
furrow, and 6-10 on the commissure. Albumen flat. 
0. Chironium Koch.—(Oporanax.) Fig. 349. 
es bipinnate, with unequally cordate, crenate, obtuse segments. 
labitat. South of Europe. 
Quality. One of the plants yielding a fetid antispasmodic gum-resin analogous in its 
effects to Ammoniacum. 
Nartuex. Falconer. 
Umbels compound. Involucres 0. Calya obsolete. 
Fruit thin, compressed at the back, with a dilated 
border. Ridges 3 only, dorsal. Vitter 1 to each 
dorsal furrow, and 2 to the laterals. Albumen 
thin, flat. 
.N. Asafetida Falconer. Ferula Asafoetida Lin- 
neus.—(Asar@tipa.) Fig. 350. slink 
Radical leaves 3-parted ; segments bipinnatifid, with 
 oblong-lanceolate, obtuse, decurrent lobes. 
ma Lacistan, AMehanita, the Panjeub. 
. Gum-resin fetid, stimulating, antispasmodic, 
a, in spasms and mn viata ities catarrh, flatulent 
coli i ctions, ; . 
SieeThis te doe: pentins Asafeetida plant, but probably the substance is also — 
by even species of Ferula. It has been conjectured to, have produced the 
Silphium or Laser of the ancients, but on unsatisfactory evidence. See Thapsia, 
p. 256. 
Fervuta. Linneus. 
Umbels compound. Involucres variable. Petals ovate, acuminate. Calyx 
slightly 5-toothed. Fruit thin, compressed from the back, surrounded 
by abroad border. Ridges 5, the dorsal filiform, the lateral disappear- 
ing in the border. Vittee 3 or more in the dorsal furrows, 4 or more 
:. the commissure. Anes 
- persica Willdenow. Fig. 301. 
dwarf, glaucous ; leaves supradecompound, 
with distant segments, and linear-lanceolate 
cut lobes, dilated at the point; the first umbel 
sessile. 
y. ine on to be little doubt that this yields 
Some part of the Asafctida of commerce. Its fruit 
has been received from Persia as that of the Asafcetida 
plant; and an old plant at Chelsea yielded a gum-resin 
8o like the drug that, until the re-discovery of Narthex, 
it was generally believed to be its real source. 
350.—a, Fruit of Narthex Asafetida magnified b, its transverse section ; 351. Fruit of Ferula 
3 @, natural size; b, magnified. ee ee ‘ 
ae 
