PENTANDRIA— DIGYNIA. Athamanta. 87 



Biennial. June. 



Root tapering. Stem about 2 feet high^ erect, branched, leafy, 

 angular and furrowed. Lower leaves nearly a span long, stalked, 

 doubly pinnate, with numerous, opposite, finely cut leaflets, of 

 which the pairs next the midrib cross each other : those on the 

 stem much smaller, opposite, very unequal, one of them on a 

 dilated, lax, ribbed, membranous-edged footstalk ; the other 

 sessile. Umbels numerous, erect. General bracteas, if present, 

 capillary, connected, when more than one, by a membranous 

 base. Fl. numerous, white, or j)ale flesh-coloured ; the marginal 

 (not central) ones only, perfect and prolific. Cal. always ex- 

 tremely minute, and not constantly complete, or discernible. 

 Pet. small, convex, in the middle flowers nearly equal. Fl, Re- 

 cept. white, undulated, very distinct from the bases of the styles. 

 Seeds greyish -brown. 



This plant i^ cultivated for the sake of its seeds, which are in daily 

 use as a grateful and wholesome aromatic. 



163. ATHAMANTA. Stone-parsley. 



Linn. Gen. ]33. Juss. 223. Fl.Br.303. Sprerig. Prodr. 25. Lam. 

 t.\94. 



Fl. imperfectly separated, regular, the innermost more or 

 less abortive. Cal. of 5 spreading, ascending, lanceolate, 

 acute, permanent leaves. Pet. 5, almost perfectly equal, 

 inversely heart-shaped, with a broad inflexed point. 

 Filam. thread-shaped, spreading, incurved, longer than 

 the petals. Anth. roundish. Germeti inferior, ovate, fur- 

 rowed, downy, abrupt. Styles in the flower short, erect, 

 each with a large, tumid, ovate base; subsequently spread- 

 ing as far as the calyx, or further ; finally reflexed, per- 

 manent. Stigmas simple, bluntish. Fl. Recept. wanting. 

 Fruit ovate, scarcely compressed, ribbed, clothed, more 

 or less, with loosely spreading, shortish hairs, and crowned 

 by the calyx and styles. Seeds ovate, each Avith .5 equi- 

 distant, prominent, stout ribs. Juncture close, as broad 

 as the seeds. 



Stem angular, deeply furrowed. Leaves oblong, repeatedly 

 pinnate, finely cut, flat. Umbels terminal, compound, of 

 numerous, furrowed, downy rays^ with general and par- 

 tial, narrow bracteas. Fl. white or reddish. Seeds small, 

 somewhat aromatic. 



From this genus, of which our British species forms the 

 type, and to which A. pyrenaica of Jacquin (pei'haps the 

 same species), with some others, certainly belongs, the 

 Libanotis of Gaertner ought, I think, to be removed, as 



