HERACLEUM. 



Rind and root acrid, and will ulcerate the skin on which they are 

 applied. Inside of the stem eaten by the Kamtschadales : root con- 

 tains sugar. 



H. gummiferum, Willd. enum. 312, supposed to be the same as 

 H. pubescens M. S. ; has been erroneously supposed to furnish opo- 

 ponax. (See Opoponax, p. 44.) 



GALBANUM. 



111. G. officinale Don. in. Linn, trans, xvi. 603. Barzud 

 Arab ; Bireeja Hindust. the drug; Kinneh and Nafeel the plant ; 

 according to professor Royle. XaX&zvij Dioscorid. Syria, ac- 

 cording to Dioscorides. The drug comes from Smyrna and India. 



Fruit compressed at the bark, elliptical; ridges 7, elevated, com- 

 pressed, bluntly keeled, not winged ; the lateral distinct, next the mar- 

 gin. Channels broadish, concave, without vittae; commissure flat, 

 dilated, with 2 broad curved vittae. Don. The gum resin Galbanum is 

 less powerful than asafcetida, but its action is of the same kind, and 

 their uses the same. 



Nothing is known of this plant except from the brief account of 

 Professor Don ; it requires to be much more investigated. Did the 

 fruit, found by Mr. Don upon the gum really belong to it ? It would 

 appear that the opinion of this drug being furnished by Bubon Galba- 

 num L. or Ferula Ferulago is unfounded. 



CUMINUM. 



Calyx-teeth 5, lanceolate, setaceous, unequal, permanent. 

 Petals oblong, emarginate, erect spreading, with an indexed 

 lobe. Fruit contracted at the side. Ridges of half-fruits wing- 

 less, the primary filiform minutely muricated, the laterals forming 

 a border ; the secondary more prominent and aculeated. Chan- 

 nels under the secondary ridges with 1 vitta in each. Annuals 

 with multifid leaves having setaceous divisions. Involucrum 

 with 2-4 simple or divided leaflets ; involucel halved, 2-4-leaved, 

 becoming reflexed. Flowers white, or pink. 



112, C. Cyminum Linn. sp. 365. DC.prodr. iv. 201. Nees 

 and Eberm.pl med, t. 288. handb. iii. 12. Kvpbov ypepov Dios- 

 corid. Upper Egypt, Ethiopia. (Cumin.) 



Stem erect, slender, branched, about a foot high. Leaves multifid, 

 with long filiform segments. Umbels both partial and general of about 

 5 rays, with the involucres consisting of 2 or 3 filiform 1 -sided bracts. 

 Flowers small, white, overtopped by the bracts, which after flowering 

 are reflexed. Fruit 2 lines long, much longer than the pedicels, nearly 

 taper, but little contracted at the sides, fusiform, crowned by the short 

 teeth of the calyx, densely covered with short rough hair upon the 

 channels, less densely upon the ridges, which are paler, filiform, and a 

 little raised. Fruits carminative as in other plants of the order, but 

 the smell disagreeable. Chiefly used in veterinary surgery. Combined 

 with resin they make a warm stimulating plaister. 

 51 E 2 



