382 



of the branches bear reduced blades resembling the terminal 

 segment of the ground leaves. Each of the flowering branches has 

 a similar but smaller spathe on the side facing the stem. The 

 compound umbels, evidently in the first stage of flowering, are 

 much contracted and compact, and supported at the base by a'few 

 minute subulate or linear leaflets. It is clear that the figure 

 represents a Ferula, and also that it cannot be F. tingitana, in 

 which the ultimate leaf segments are much broader. Nor can it 

 be the ordinary Ferula communis, which has very much longer 

 and finer laciniae. It might represent the variety brevifolia 'of 

 |\ communis but for the less delicate and less numerous laciniae. 

 1. tmgitana and F. communis have been collected in the 

 Cyrenaica; but there is a third species recorded from the 

 tyrenaica, namely, F. marmarica, Aschers. and Taub., which was 

 discovered by Dr. P. Taubert in 1887, near Bomba, about 1G0 km. to 

 the east of ancient Cyrene, and also by Dr. G. Schweinf urth at Badia. 

 it is not well known and there are no specimens of it at Kew. 



Dr. Schweinf urth was, however, kind enough to send me his 



S S? K C °? S1Sting 1 ° f leaves and y° un S inflorescences, while 

 Mr. W Barbey and Mr. G. Beauverd courteously lent me some 



mfructescences, collected by Dr. Taubert and preserved in the 



^nw^TT. The f ° rmer ™ P^cularly valuable, as it 

 represents the plant in exactly the stage in which the ammoniakon 



nL* « i Pil i X™ d < J \ ommis is drawn - Holding the Badia 

 bv th!?. P , at 1 , m the CodeX side fe y side > one "> st™ck at once 



nfcture TrT ^ le re8 r blanCe > althoi ^ h the leave *> ™ the 

 11 the fiZ! a °i T Ch nJ S " com POund." Indeed as far 

 of thl ^ ! -,° f f e G ° dex Vi ^obonen,is go-and many 

 of the fl nln P i ° f a / ertain crudeness, are very true-that 

 may be nZT T' lf " is , intended for F - marmarica, 

 2 tCS ^ i° ne °l the beSt There i8 > moreover 

 F marl^Tir^ I * videnc e for the theory of the identity of 

 in his Tccoun^ n? DlOSCOride8 ammoniakon plant. Taubertf, 

 describes rheTnnp * f £ Ursion to the western Marmarica 

 Twhichil\^T ^ ° f F ' marma ™« near Bomba and the use 

 Sony mtorS^'in 1 • ^ T Y s , The most characteristic plant of this 

 ScfJ?/tL^ 2 a F f ri ^ 8ub ^quently recognised as a new 



seen ballshlned Z ? ' *$""! & T ™ h ^ of which 1 had alread y 

 after the fashTon T™ ?"°? in ? bef ° re the wind on ^e sandy shore 

 searching that Iff ™ d '™ tc ^ It was only after prolonged 

 p'acef wfth fl ol ?l ? , a f6 T 8 P edm <^ of it still standing in their 

 habit reminZ. " ed UP leaVGS and ^^ fruits*, and? by their 



WhenceTame ?L^ e + n Very mUch of Drias iThaptia garganica). 

 sho,-e of a ^Lnt ?n ' ? umer0U8 lo ^e specimens, found on the 

 solved when IrZ ^^ met with in situ? The mystery was 

 resL wmch exuS? f. aCr ° + l 8 - & , 8 ° ldier who was h ™? collecting a 

 emitting a ztvonf^V^™ * 80 ^ clo8e to the ground and 

 belonged to the ^W belllferous od ^r. My suspicion that they 

 that iOdKrifw, 88 C °fr ed b y t*ie man, and I was told 

 cut the pKi ?? mba and the few Bedouins that live there 

 __J^t-wl^^ more common farther eastward 



t Taubert in Bull TIerh p~; i 



