PEN TAX Dili A. 73 



• rateful herb, Fools parsley is highly poisonous. Al- 

 though these plants have a strong general resemblance, 

 yet they are to be distinguished from each other by a 

 \ery little knowledge and attention. The colour of 

 the leaves of the common parsley are of a yellowish 

 green, and when bruised in the hand have a strong, 

 but not disagreeable scent ; those of the fools parsley 

 are of a very dark green, much more finely divided, 

 and when bruised have very little scent. But one 

 character which distinguishes this herb, not only 

 from Parsley but from all other umbelliferous plants, 

 is, three long narrow pendulous leaves which com- 

 pose its partial involucrum, and which grow from 

 the base of each of the small umbels 3 to shew this 

 fact the figure of the plant is introduced, that it might 

 be clearly understood. 



The plants of this kind of inflorescence, which 

 by botanists is called an umbel, are apt to be poi- 

 sonous when their native situation is wet or marshy ; 

 but, on the contrary, if they they grow naturally in a dry 

 soil, they are often aromatic, as parsley, caraway, &c. 



Of this Order is the Ferula Asa fcetida, from 

 which the Gum Asa fcetida is made. 



