SCIENTIFIC AND POPULAR. 161 



828. FERULA, L. Asafetida, etc. Unibelliferae. 



Ancient Latin name of Fennel, meaning a "walking stick". 

 Syn. Angelicaf, Euryangium, Xarthex, Scordosraa, Sumbulus, 

 in part. Robust herbs. About 80 species, west-central Asia. 



a. F. alliacea Boiss. Northeastern Persia. Source of an inferior 



variety of asafetida. 



b. F. foetida (Bunge) Eegel (S. foetidum Bunge, F, Scordosma 



Bent. & Trim., Assafoetida Boiss., not AVilld., F. Narthex 

 Willd., not Boiss.). Turkestan, Bokhara and western 

 Afghanistan. Gum resin; Asafetida, Asafoetida, U. S. P., 

 Br., Gummi-resina asafoetida, Asafoetida; Uer. Stiukasant, 

 Teufelsdreck; Fr. Asa ioetida (Codex) ; has been called cibus 

 deorum (food of the gods) and stercus diaboli (devil's dung); 

 antispasmodic, carminative, stimulant. Leaves eaten as salad. 



c. F. galbanifiua Bois. & Buhse (including F. erubescens Boiss. 



and F. gummosa Boiss. ) Persia. Gum resin; Galbanum, Br. 

 (also P. G. and Codex), Gummi-resina galbanum, Gummi galba- 

 num; Ger. Galban, Mutterharz; Sp Galbano; stimulant to mucous 

 membranes. (Cther species yield a similar product, notably 

 (d) F. rnbricaiilis Boiss. and (e) F. Schair Borszczon). 



f. F. Karthex Boiss. (F. assafcetida Willd., X. a8safo?tida Falc. ). 



Persia to Afghanistan. Source of some of the asafetida from 

 Afghanistan. 



g. F. Persica Willd. not Sims or Bunge. Persia. Source of the 



gum resin Sagapenum, resembling Galbanum. 



h. F. Slimbul Hook. f. (E. Sumbul Kauffm. Sum. moschatus 

 Reinsch, A. moschata Wiggers). Central Asia. Musk- root, 

 Sumbul. Boot; SumlDUl, L. S. P., Sumbul radix, Br.; Ger. 

 Sumbul wurzel, Moschuswurzel ; Fr. Racine de Sumbul; anti- 

 spasmodic, nervine. 



i. F. Tiiigitaiia L. Northern Africa. Source of African Am- 

 moniac, formerly known as Silphium. See Dorema and Thap- 

 sia. 



829. FEYILLEA, L. Fevillea. Ciiciirbitaceae. 



Vines climbing by tendrils, with gourd-like fruit. About 6 

 species, tropical America. 



a. F. cordifolia L., not Yell. Jamaica. Sequa, Cacoon Antidote. 

 Seeds emeto-cathartic. [The oily seeds of a Peruvian species 

 known as Abilla are used for candles or torches]. 



830. FICi-RIA, Huds. Pilewort Buttercup. Raminculaceae. 



From Latin, "lig" like, alluding to the root tubercles. Syn. 

 Ranunculus, in part. Perennial herbs resembling Ranunculus. 

 About 4 species. Old World. 



a. F. Ficaria (L. ) Karst. (R. Ficaria L., F. ranunculoides 

 Moenchj. Europe, adv. in U. S. Lesser Celandine, Crain, 

 Golden-cup, Golden-guineas, Herb-of-grace, Pilewort, Pile- 

 wort Buttercup, Wordsworth's flower; Oer. Feigenranunkel; 

 Fr. Petite ch^lidoine. Plant formerly believed to cure hemor- 

 rhoids. 



