FERULA. 



secretion, and was thought to produce Galbanum ; see Galbanum 

 officinale. 



102. F. tingitana Linn. sp. plant. 355. DC.prodr. iv. 173. 

 Rivin. pentapet. iii. t. 10. — Fields in Barbary in the province 

 of Tangiers ; it is also said in the country of Cyrene, but this is 

 denied by Viviani. (Fl. Libyc. 17.) 



Stem taper, branched. Leaves supra-decompound shining ; segments 

 oblong-lanceolate, cut, toothed ; the apper petioles large and sheathing. 

 Umbel terminal on a short stalk ; the lateral flowers few, male, on 

 longer stalks. Involucre 0. — Sprengel considers this the Silphion of 

 the ancients, from which the Laser cvreniacurn or Asa dulcis was 

 procured ; but Viviani asserts that Ferula tingitana does not grow in 

 the country of Cyrene, but only occurs more to the westward. See 

 Thapsia. 



DOREMA. 



Epigynous disk cup-shaped. Fruit slightly compressed from 

 the back, edged ; with 3 distinct filiform primary ridges near the 

 middle, and alternating with them 4 obtuse secondary ridges ; 

 the whole enveloped in wool. Vittae 1 to each secondary ridge, 

 1 to each primary marginal ridge, and 4 to the commissure of 

 which 2 are very small. 



103. D. ammoniacum D. Don. in Linn, tra/is. xvi. 601. — 

 ? Peucedanum ammoniacum Nees and Eberm. iii 42. — Oshac, 

 or Ooshak Pers. — Persia : plains of Yerdekaust and Kumisha, 

 in the province of Irak; and near the town of Jezud Khast, in 

 very dry plains and gravelly soil, exposed to an ardent sun. 



A glaucous green plant looking like Opoponax. Root peren- 

 nial. Leaves large, 2 feet long, somewhat 2-pinnate; pinnae in 3 

 pairs ; leaflets inciso-pinnatifid, with oblong mucronulate entire or 

 slightly lobed segments, from 1-5 inches long and i to 2 inches 

 broad ; petiole downy, very large and sheathing at the base. 

 Umbels proliferous, racemose ; partial umbels globose, on short stalks, 

 often arranged in a spiked manner. Involucre general and partial 0. 

 Flowers sessile, immersed in wool. Teeth of calyx acute, membranous, 

 minute. Petals ovate, reflexed at the point. Disk large, fleshy, cup- 

 shaped. Fruit elliptical, compressed, buried in wool, surrounded by a 

 broad flat edge ; dorsal primary ridges distinct, filiform ; lateral con- 

 fluent with the margin ; secondary ridges slightly elevated, rounded. 

 Vittae 1 beneath each secondary ridge ; 1 beneath each of the broad 

 marginal primary ridges ; 2 on each side of the suture of the commissure, 

 the external ones being very minute. Seed . . . . ? This description 

 is principally taken from Mr. Don's account; what regards the fruit 

 has however been drawn up from an examination of a couple of 

 mericarps, for which I am indebted to that gentleman. — The stem and 

 fruits yield a great abundance of the fetid gum resin Ammoniacum ; 

 its action is similar to that of Asafoetida. It is chiefly employed as a 

 discutient and expectorant. 

 47 



