NO rear 
APIUM PETROSELINUM. ORD. VI. Umbelate. : 119 
anther: the germen is oval, striated, ie supports two short 
_ reflected styles, terminated with obtuse stigmata: the seeds are of 
a dark green colour, oblong, angular, teat flat on one sidé, 
and convex on the other. It is a native cf Sardinia, and lowers 
in June and July. 3 
All the varieties of Parsley have been long very generally 
cultivated in England,* and its frequent use for culinary purposes 
renders it more familiar than most of the plants which our kitchen 
gardens produce. Both the roots and seeds of Parsley are directed 
by’ the London College for medicinal use; the former have a 
sweetish taste, accompanied with a slight warmth or flavour, some- 
what resembling that of a carrot: the latter are in taste warmer, 
and more aromatic than any other part of the plant; and also 
manifest considerable bitterness. In distillation, three pounds 
yielded above an ounce of essential oil, a great part of which 
sunk in the fluid. They give out little of their qualities by 
infusion in watery menstrua, but readily impart all their virtue to 
rectified spirit. The roots, by distillation in water, were found to 
yield a very inconsiderable portion of essential oil, not above two 
or three drams from as many hundred pounds of the root.” . These 
roots are said to be aperient and diuretic, and have been ie 
in apozems, to relieve nephritic pains, and obstructions of urine.* 
In this way they have been. prescribed by Dr. Cullen without 
producing any diuretic effect, and this he. thinks may in some 
‘measure be sptributed fo the loss of their active ‘matter, which t they 
sustain in Boiling.” ‘The seeds, like ‘those of many other u 
ferous plants, possess a share of aromatic and carminative power; 
but as this is inconsiderable they are now seldom employed.t ; The 
a hg: $0°1551> Turn." Herb. pare 1. high D. iti!) “Wide Aiton’s Hort. 
> Lewis, Mat. Med. = - . See Hoffman and others. 
a tet Med. p. 45961 F< E 
t Externally they havé been advantageously used for destroying. eatanenpe 
insects in childrea. Vide Con. Mich. Valentini Act, Nat. Cur-.vol. i. p, 286. 
and Rosenstein Barns. junkd. Ed. 3. p.. 33, 
