409 



lets surely not acute, though pointed. Calyx-segments often 

 very narrow, like mere points. Styles elongated, (after 

 flowering,) spreading, scarcely reflexed. I see no strice on 

 the half-ripe seeds, between the ribs, the spaces are very 

 deep, but smooth ; nor do I find one of the two seeds often 

 abortive. 



14. Sium nodiflorum and repens. — Examined 27th Decem- 

 ber, ] 828. — / believe these to be mere varieties of one species. — 

 In the herbarium of a friend, for whom I once collected spe- 

 cimens, I find an example which will completely unite these 

 two supposed species. The stem is erect, eighteen inches long, 

 the lower leaves of three pairs of ovate, moderately acute, 

 dentato-serrate leaflets, scarcely more than half an inch 

 long, with the terminal one, in some cases, confluent with 

 the upper pair. The upper leaves of the stem with three or 

 five roundish, coarsely toothed leaflets, not different from 

 those in Dr. Hooker's specimen of " Sium repens," from Cor- 

 sica. No general bracteas are present. Partial ones of a 

 narrow ovate shape, reflexed, as long as the partial rays, 

 3-ribbed, with slightly membranous margins. The umbel of 

 four or five rays, is raised on a stalk, a quarter of an inch 

 long, and fully half as long as the general rays. Styles, in 

 the half-ripe fruit, horizontally spreading. Calyx obsolete. 



In the common state, Sium nodiflorum has the leaflets ovato- 

 oblong, very acute, serrated, not deeply cut, an inch and a 

 half long. The umbel of about twelve rays, on a short stalk 

 about one-fourth the length of the rays. Without general 

 bracteas. Partial ones of a narrow lanceolate shape, acute, 

 3-ribbed, often twice as long as the partial rays, and without 

 a membranous border. Dr. Hooker's Corsican specimen of 

 " Sium repens" exactly agrees with numerous specimens 

 gathered in Wales, and near Warrington, in which the 

 general bracteas are altogether wanting. Sium repens of 

 Engl. Fl. is described as having them, and I was hence 

 led to consider my small creeping specimens as mere 

 varieties of S. nodiflorum, an opinion which I am by no 

 means yet inclined to alter. For I do not think the presence 

 oi general bracteas, unless it should prove a constant character, 



