1S46.] Linnean Society. 309 



Ord. UMBELLIFER^. 

 Trib. PeucedanevE. 

 Gen. Narthex, Falc. 

 Calycis margo obsoletus. Petala ? Slylopodium plicato* 



urceolatum. Styli filiformes demum reflexi. Fructus a dorso plano- 

 compressus, margine dilatato cinctus. Mericarpia jugis primariis 5, 

 3 intermediis filiforniibus, 2lateralibus obsoletioribus margin! contigiiis 

 imniersis. FittcB in valleculis dorsalibus plerumque solitariae (valle- 

 culis lateralibus nunc sesqui- vel bi-vittatis) ; commissurales 4 — 6 variae 

 ineequales, exterioi-ibus saepe reticulatim interrupts. Semen compla- 

 natum. Carjso^// or «/« bipartitum. ?7wj6e//<? pedunculatae, compositae. 

 Invohicrum utrumque nullum. — Genus inter Peucedaneas calycis mar- 

 gine edentato ; fructus vittis magnis, commissuralibus incequalibus ; in- 

 volucroque utroque nulla distinctum. Narthex nuncupatum a vocabulo 

 vdpdrj^, apud Dioscoridem Ferulae attribiito. 

 N. AsAFCETiDA, caule tereti simplici petiolis dilatatis apbyllis instructo, 

 foliis radicalibus fasciculatis ; petiolis trisectis ; segmentis bipinnati- 

 sectis : laciniis lineari-lanceolatis obtusis inasquilateralibus integris vel 

 varie sinuatis decurrentibus. 

 Asafoetida Disgunensis, Kcempf. Amcen. Exot. p. 535. 

 Ferula Asafoetida, Linn. Mat. Med. p. 79; Dec. Prodr. iv. 173 ; Lindl. Fl. 



Med. p. 45. 

 Hab. in apricis inter saxa in valle " Astore " vel " Hussorah" dicta prope 

 Indum ultra Cashmeer ; indigenis Daradris " Sip " vel '•' Sup " dictum. Legi 

 fructigerum prope Boosth5n die 21™° Septembris 1838. 



Dr. Falconer states that he has compared his materials with 

 Ksempfer's description and figures and with the original specimens 

 of that author in the collection of the British Museum, and found 

 them to agree, so far as a comparison could be instituted, in every 

 essential particular. Jubbar Khan, the Dardoh Rajah of the country 

 in which Dr. Falconer gathered his specimens, at once recognised 

 the plant as that which furnishes the Heeng or Asafoetida of com- 

 merce, and referred to the medicinal accounts given of it by the Per- 

 sian and Arabic authors ; but the Dardohs are a wild race and do 

 not collect the gum-resin for exportation. Some young roots were 

 carefully removed and introduced in the first instance into the Bo- 

 tanic Garden at Saharunpoor, but afterwards transferred to the sub- 

 sidiary hill garden at Mussooree. Of these some had succeeded 

 well, but had not flowered up to the time of Dr. Falconer's leaving 

 India ; and one of these furnished the leaves which were represented 

 in a figlire accompanying the paper, together with a small quantity 

 of Asafoetida, diflPering in no respect from the ordinary condition of 

 that substance as it occurs in commerce. The species is found, as 



