APIACEM OR UMBELLIFER^E. 



Shady rocks in the south of Europe and the Levant. (Pars- 



tey-) 



A biennial, or perennial if not allowed to flower, quite smooth, of a 

 bright but rather pale green. Stem 1^-2 feet high, striated, round, a 

 good deal branched in rather a corymbose manner. Radical leaves 

 biternate, on long channelled stalks ; leaflets rhomboidal-ovate, wedge- 

 shaped at the base, deeply incised, with the segments mucronate, and 

 sometimes rounded. Upper leaves gradually becoming more entire 

 and narrower, till the uppermost are simply ternate with linear seg- 

 ments. Umbels with 5-8 rays. General involucre none, or 1-2 subu- 

 late minute bracts; partial involucre with setaceous bracts, much shorter 

 than the pedicels, erect, forming a perfect whorl. Flowers white, or 

 greenish. Fruit about a line long, compressed, pale greenish brown ; 

 the back occupied by 3 elevated, pale primary ridges, the 2 others quite 

 on the margin at the side. The leaves are a pleasant stimulating 

 salad ; they are diuretic, and are at once recognised by their agreeable 

 smell. Burnett says the fruit is a deadly poison to parrots. 



PTYCHOTIS. 



Calyx a 5-toothed margin. Petals obovate, bifid, emarginate, 

 emitting from the middle a lobe with a transverse streak. Fruit 

 compressed from the side, ovate or oblong. Half-fruits with 5 

 filiform equal ridges, of which the laterals form the border; 

 channels with 1 vitta. Annuals or biennials. Cauline leaves 

 multifid, capillary. Umbels compound; universal involucre 

 variable, partial of more bracts than one. Flowers white. 



74. P. coptica DC. prodr. iv. 108. Ammi copticum 

 Linn, mantiss. 56. Jacq. hort. vind. ii. t. 196. Egypt and 

 Candia. 



Stem erect, branched. Leaves almost all cut into linear multifid 

 segments ; the upper simply pinnatifid. Umbel with 10-12 rays. 

 Bracts of the involucels linear. Fruit ovate, slightly muricate. 



75. P. Ajowan DC. prodr. iv. 109. Ligusticum Ajowan Flem. 

 in As. res. xi. 170. Roxb.fl. ind. ii. 91. Cultivated in India. 



Root annual. Stem erect, 1 to 3 feet high ; branches alternate, 

 smooth, slightly striated. Leaves scattered, those nearest the root 

 supra-decompound, the upper less so ; all with filiform subdivisions. 

 Umbels terminal, erect, compound, of from 6 to 8 rays, on rather un- 

 equal peduncles ; partial, of many rays, on unequal pedicels. Invo- 

 lucres both universal, and partial, of from 5 to 8, linear, unequal, bracts 

 shorter than the umbels. Petals pure white, equal, furrowed on the 

 back, and keeled within, with involute points, and broad waved, rather 

 reflexed margins. Fruit didymous, compressed, broad, ovate, with five 

 scabrous ridges on each side. The fruit has an aromatic smell, and 

 warm pungent taste. One of the most useful and grateful of the umbel- 

 liferous tribe. An excellent remedy in flatulent colic. Much used in 

 India. Roxb. 



76. P. sylvestris, or arub ajwain, is an Indian carminative. 

 Royle. 



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