Vor. II.] CARROT FAMILY. 537 
38. SPERMOLEPIS Raf. Neog. 2. 1825. 
(LeprocauLis Nutt.; DC. Mem. Omb. 39. 1829.] 
Glabrous slender erect branching annuals, the branches often nearly filiform, with finely 
dissected petioled leaves the leaf-segments very narrowly linear. Flowers very small, white, 
in compound unequal-rayed umbels. Involucre none; involucels of a few small narrow 
bracts, or none. Calyx-teeth obsolete. Fruit ovate, laterally flattened, tuberculate or 
bristly; ribs prominent, or obsolete; pericarp thick; oil-tubes solitary in the intervals or also 
under the ribs, 2 on the commissural side. Stylopodium short, conic. 
Two species, natives of the southern United States. 
Fruit tubercled. tu! S. divaricatus. 
Fruit covered with hooked bristles. 2. S. echinatus. 
1. Spermolepis divaricatus (Walt. ) Britton. Rough-fruited Spermolepis. 
(Fig. 2697.) 
Daucus divaricatus Walt. Fl. Car. 114. 1788. 
Leptocaulis divaricatus DC. Mem. Omb. 39. 
pl. 10. 1829. 
Apium divaricatum Wood, Bot.& Fl. 140. 1870. 
Spermolepis divaricatus Britton, Mem. Torr. 
Club, 5: 244. 1894. 
Similar to Apiastrum fatens (fig. 2672) but 
more slender and still more widely branch- 
ing. Rays of the umbels almost filiform, 
44/-1%4’ long, divaricate; flowers about 12// 
broad; pedicels filiform, 3/’-6’’ long; fruit 
ovate, densely tuberculate, %’’ long; the 
ribs rather prominent. 
Kansas to Texas, North Carolina and Florida. 
Also in ballastat Philadelphia. April-May. 
2. Spermolepis echinatus 
(Nutt.) Britton. Bristly-fruited 
Spermolepis. (Fig. 2698.) 
Leptocaulis echinatus Nutt.; DC. Prodr. 4: 
107. 1830. 
Apium echinatum §, Wats. Bibl. Index, 1: 
412. 1878. 
Resembling the preceding species, but 
lower, seldom over 1° high, the branches 
ascending orsometimesspreading. Rays 
of the umbel very slender, 114’ long, or 
less; fruit about %/’ long, covered with 
spreading hooked bristles, the ribs obso- 
lete, the commissure narrow. 
Alabama to Missouri, Texas and Califor- 
nia. April-May. 
39. PTILIMNIUM Raf. Neog. 2. 1825. 
[DiscopLEuURA DC. Mem. Omb. 38. 1829.] 
Annual erect glabrous branching herbs, with pinnately or ternately dissected leaves, and 
compound umbels of white flowers. Bracts of the involucre several, filiform or dissected 
in our species. Calyx-teeth obsolete. Petals obovate, the apex inflexed. Stylopodium 
conic; fruit ovate, slightly compressed, glabrous. Carpels dorsally compressed, the dorsal 
and intermediate ribs prominent, slender, the lateral ones very thick and corky; oil-tubes 
solitary in the intervals. Seed-face flat. [Greek, referring to the finely divided leaves. ] 
About 4 species. Besides the following, another occurs in Texas and one in the East Indies, 
Involucral bracts mostly pinnate; fruit 1’’-114'’ long, 1. P. capillaceum, 
Pp 
Involucral bracts short, entire; fruit 14'’-%'’ long. 2. P. Nuttalliz. 
