PENTANDRIA— DIGYNIA. Sium. 55 



permanent leaves. Fruit ovate-lanceolate, shining, minutely 

 vi^rinkled, with 3 narrow distant ribs at each side, and termi- 

 nating in a more strongly ribbed, and deeply furrowed, point, 

 crowned by the long, slender, nearly erect, permanent stijles. 



It appears that some accidental specimens, whose roots were not 

 so deep in the ground as usual, and which might or might not 

 have several general hracteas, have been taken for B. Bulbocas- 

 tanum; but I could never meet with any such, even where they 

 have been reported to grow. The true B. Bulbocastanum how- 

 ever, figured in Fl. Dan. t. 220. Moris, sect. 9. t. 2./. 1. Gcertn. 

 t. 140. Lob. Ic. 745. /. 1. Ger. Em. 1064./. 2. Lauremh. Ap- 

 par. 148. and which is Haller's n. 783 ; though its stem is occa- 

 sionally tapering and wavy at the base, as in a specimen from 

 Gerard in the Linmean herbarium ; is clearly distinguished by 

 its shorter, more abrupt, /r 2/ i^, which is not elongated, nor more 

 furrowed, at the point, and especially by its closely reflexed 

 styles. The general bracteas are constantly present, and nu- 

 merous j occasionally three-cleft 5 the umbels oi 10, la, or 20 

 rays j and the whole plant much larger, often having 2 stems. 

 This is Bulbocastanum majus of the Bauhins and other old au- 

 thors. Gouan has well distinguished the two species, though 

 he has strangely perverted their synonyms, and seems to have 

 misled Sprengel. 



If this should ever be found in Britain, the shorter, more abrupt 

 fruitj and rcfiexed styles, will infallibly ascertain it. 



147. SIUM. Water-parsnep. 



Linn.Gen. 138. Juss.222. Fl. Br. 3\2. Tourn,t.\62. Lam.t.\97, 

 Gd'Ttn. t. 23 ? 



Fl. all uniform, and generally perfect Cal. of 5 small, 

 acute, unequal leaves^ often obsolete. Pet. equal, in- 

 versely lieart-sliaped, or obovate, with more or less of an 

 inflexed point. Filam. thread-shaped, s}:)rcading, longer 

 than the corolhi. Anth. roundish. Germ, inferior, round- 

 ish-ovate, striated. Styles cylindrical, more or less spread- 

 ing, moderately swelling at the base, shorter than the 

 petals, permanent. Sliginus obtuse. Fruit ovate, or or- 

 bicular, slightly compressed, furrowed, crowned with the 

 permanent styles and withered calyx, without any pnmii- 

 \\cx\i floral receptacle. Seeds tumitl, convex, each with 5 

 generally strong ribs. 



Acrid and dangerous herbs, smooth in every part-, mostly 

 acjuatic and pereimial. Leaves oblong, scarcely more 

 than simply })innate; leaflets deeply serrated or divided. 

 Umbels lateral or terminal, while, with partial, and for 

 the most j)art geiieifd, hracteas. 



/ 



