326 



Pedicelli erecto-patentes. Calyx e dentibus 5, par vis. 

 Fructus elliptico-ovatiis, basi apiceque obtusus, transversim 

 sectus, obtuse subtetragonus, insigniter inflatus. Carpella 

 subsemiteretia. Epicarpium laxum, membranaceum, 

 ecostatum. Endocarpimn semini arete adherens, costis 

 vel jugis filiformibus, fuscis, subaequidistantibus, duobus 

 lateralibus marginalibus. Axis gracillimus, vix distinctus. 



I place this in the genus Bolax with much hesitation. The 

 species indeed have been hitherto very imperfectly described, 

 and De Candolle, in his Memoires sur les Ombelliferes, has 

 limited them to the single B. glebaria of Gaudichaud, [Ann. 

 des Sciences Nat. v. 5. p. 104. t. 3. f. ii.) the Hydrocotyle 

 gummifera of Lamarck; and indeed the habit of the two 

 plants, and the general form of their leaves are very similar; 

 so that, were it not for the sessile umbel in Gaudichaud's 

 figure, and the different structure of fruit, I should con- 

 sider them to be the same species. The fruit there ap- 

 proaches nearly to that of Mulinum, having four compressed 

 angles, almost wings; the jugi or ridges very distinct; and the 

 epicarp closely united to the rest of the fruit. In our plant 

 the ridges are of a brown colour, and appear to me to be 

 filled with a resinous fluid ; so that I should have taken them 

 for vittcB, were it not for their situation. 



Our present species yields abundantly a gummy or re- 

 sinous substance, which is gathered by the natives, and em- 

 ployed in the cure of the headach. A similar resin exudes 

 from the B. glebaria of Gaud, and probably from several 

 others of this tribe. The long woody roots constitute the 

 only fuel of travellers and herdsmen who frequent the eleva- 

 ted regions inhabited by this plant, ^he Eragosa aretioides 

 of Humb. et Kunth. Nov. Gen. t. 424, will rank near to this ; 

 if we may judge from its habit and the fruit being, at least 

 externally, without ridges. 



Tab. LXIII. Fig. 1, Plant: — nat. size. Fig. 2, 3, Leaves. 

 Fig. 4, Umbel. Fig. 5, Fruit. Fig. 6, Carpel seen from 

 within. Fig. 7, Section of the fruit: — all h\xi Jig. 1 more 

 or less magnijied. 



