APIACEJE OR UMBELLIFER^;. 



108. A. SowaRoxb. Fl. Ind. ii. 96. DC.prodr.iv. 186. 

 East Indies. 



Root annual, in fact of only a few months' duration. Stem flexuose, 

 branched, smooth, striated with deeper and lighter green, and covered 

 with a whitish bloom, from 2 to 3 feet high. Leaves decompound, 

 and supra-decompound, leaflets filiform, as in Fennel. Umbels terminal, 

 convex, without involucres or involucels. Calyx scarcely any. Petals 

 ovate-oblong, inflected. Stamens longer than the petals. Styles 

 scarcely any. Fruit oval, compressed ; half-fruits, with three ridges on 

 the back, and surrounded by a membranous margin. Fruit aroma- 

 tic and carminative ; used in the curries of the natives of India. 



109. A. graveolens Linn. sp. 377. DC.prodr. iv. 186. Nees 

 andEberm. handb, iii. 38. Fl. Dan. t. 1572. S. and C. iii. 1. 137. 

 Woodv. t. 159. "Avrido Dioscorid. Cornfields of south of 

 Europe and the Levant ; Astracan ; Egypt ; Cape of Good 

 Hope; Timor. Probably migratory. (Dill.) 



All the parts quite smooth and glaucous. Stem from 1 to \\ foot 

 high, finely striated, simply branched. Leaves tnpinnated, 2-3 inches 

 long, with fine capillary segments, broad and sheathing at the base 

 which has a distinct even membranous margin. Umbels on long stalks, 

 without involucre ; the general of about 10 rays, the partial of rather 

 more. Flowers yellow. Petals varnished. Fruit rather more than 

 2 lines long, oblong, bright shining brown and convex at the back, 

 paler and again convex at the edge, which is separated from the back 

 by a deep hollow ; dorsal ridges sharp, filiform, elevated, very distinct 

 but fine. Commissure dull greyish brown with the tumid vittae only in- 

 distinctly seen. The fruit is carminative and stimulant, and taken with 

 food may be regarded condimentary. It is used in the colic of chil- 

 dren and to relieve hiccough ; it has also been supposed to promote 

 the secretion of milk. " Aqua Anethi " is chiefly employed : the fruit 

 also yields by distillation a volatile oil. 



HERACLEUM. 



Calyx 5-toothed. Petals obovate, emarginate with an in- 

 flected lobe ; the outer often radiating and bifid. Fruit flattened 

 at the back, surrounded by a flat broad border. Half-fruits with 

 very fine ridges ; the 3 dorsal equidistant, the 2 lateral distant 

 from the others and contiguous to the dilated margin. Vittae 

 solitary in the channels, generally 2 on the commissure, all 

 shorter than the fruit and usually clavellate. Large coarse 

 herbaceous plants. Leaves pinnated, 3-parted, or lobed, with 

 large sheathing petioles. Umbels of many rays. Involucre 

 deciduous, usually of a few leaves. Involucel of many leaves. 



110. H. Sphondylium Linn. sp. pi. 358. Eng. Bot. t. 939. 

 DC. prodr. iv. 192. By roadsides and in hedges and dry 

 ditches all over Europe; also in Siberia and Unalaschka. 

 (Brankursine.) 



Leaves pinnated or pinnatifid, scabrous ; leaflets with 3-5-lobed seg- 

 ments whose divisions are incised and crenate. Bracts of the involucels 

 linear, setaceous. Fruit, even when young, smooth and nearly orbicular. 



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