_ BVBON GALBANUM, ~ ORD: VI. Umbellate: 99 
towards the top sending off leaves and branches; the compound 
leaves rise from the striated sheathes of the stem, they are subtri- 
pinnated, the uppermost subbipinnated, and have strong round 
ribs; the simple leaves are rhomboidal, acute, thickish, of a sea- 
green colour, veined, subtrilobed, cut, or irregularly serrated, but 
near the base entire, and some leaves upon the upper branches are 
somewhat wedge-shaped ; the principal umbel terminates the stem, 
and is large, plano-convex, and composed of numerous radii; the 
lateral umbels are few, and grow upon slender pendent branches; 
the leaflets of the general involucrum are about, twelve, narrow, 
lanceolated, membraneous, whitish, and bent downwards; of the 
partial involucrum they are six, of the same shape and patent. The 
flowers are all hermaphrodite, fertile, first open at the circumfe- 
rence of the umbel, and followed successively by those towards the 
centre; the petals are equal, patent, have their points. turned 
imwards, and are of a greenish yellow colour: the stamina are 
greenish, longer than the petals, and the anther are yellow; the 
germen is round and narrow at the base, the styles are two, short 
‘and tapering; the seeds are two, brownish, oval, with smooth 
uneven surfaces, and marked with three elevated lines. The whole 
plant is smooth, has an aromatic smell, and an acrid biting taste. 
It is a native of Africa, about the Cape of Good Hope, and flowers 
in June and July. It was first introduced into Britain by Mr. John 
Gerard in 1596,‘ and all the four species described by Linnzus 
have been since cultivated by Mr. Miller. Through the industry 
of Mr. Masson, a new species of the Bubon (the lavigatum) has 
been discovered at the Cape of Good Hope, and is now in the 
Royal garden at Kew. Notwithstanding we have represented the 
Bubon Galbanum as the plant yielding the officinal drug; yet it is 
still a matter of doubt which species of these umbelliferous plants. 
really produces it; and although we have referred to Herman’s. 
Ferula Africana, yet we wish to observe, that he thought. this! 
© Aiton’s Hort. Kew. 
