UMBELLIFER^. 125 



nates the main stem, generally consist entirely of sterile flowers ; 

 fruit-umbellules dense, spherical, f to -J inch in diameter, Cremo- 

 carp I- inch long, angular, pale olive-hrovvn, crowned by the erect 

 rigid spine-like styles ; mericarps not separating from each other. 

 Plant dull-green, slightly glaucous, glabrous. 



Common Water-Dropwort. 



Frencli, (Enanthe Fistuleuse. German, Eohrige P/erdesaaf. 



This plant has a hot nauseous taste and unpleasant smell, like many others of the 

 same order. The roots and herbage are said to be poisonous ; but experiment does not 

 confirm this, 



SPECIES II.— (ENANTHE PIMPINELLOIDES. Linn. 



Plate DXCIY, 



Eeich. Ic. Fl. Germ, et Helv. Vol. XXI. Tab. 1893. 

 Billot, Fl. Gall, et Germ. Exsicc. Ko. 3094. 



E^oot-fibres slender, with an ovoid or sub-globular, usually 

 abrupt enlargement towards the extremity. Stem without capil- 

 lary root-fibres or stolons above the tubers, erect, tough, not 

 constricted at the nodes, slightly branched in the upper part. 

 Leaflets of the radical leaves pinnatifid, cut or entire, with strap- 

 shaped or elliptical short rather acute lobes; upper stem-leaves 

 longer than their solid petioles ; leaflets or ultimate lobes linear, 

 elongate, acute. Umbels of 6 to 12 rays, slightly thickened in 

 fruit ; umbellules dense, flattish above when in fruit. Involucre 

 of 1 to many deciduous leaves (sometimes absent ?). Cremocarp 

 cylindrical - prismatic, with a callous ring at the base, not con- 

 tracted at the apex. Styles f the length of the fruit. 



In dry meadows and on hedge-banks. Eare. Found near 

 Plymouth, Devon ; Pifehead Neville, Dorset ; Shanklin, Bembridge, 

 and Niton, Isle of Wight ; Blue Anchor, West Somerset ; Cruck- 

 barrow Hill and at Powick, Worcestershire ; Porthampton, Glou- 

 cestershire ; also in mainland Hants, Sussex, and Essex. 



England, Ireland, Perennial. Summer. 



Eoot-fibres 1 to 3 inches long, with a tuber-like enlargement 

 1^ to -^ inch long, at some distance from the base. Stem 1 to 3 

 feet high, furrowed, corymbosely branched towards the top, or 

 nearly simple. Segments of the radical leaves ^ to f inch long, of 

 the stem-leaves -| to 2 inches ; the root-leaves are generally decayed 

 by the time of flowering ; uppermost stem-leaves often reduced to 

 naked petioles. Eays of the umbels ^ to f inch long, very slightly 

 thickened in fruit ; umbellules so numerous as to be contiguous, 



