18 LXVIII. UMBELLIFER2E (hIERN). [DiplolopJliUTfi. 



2. D. zambesianum, Hiern. Glaucescent; about 4 feet hig-h. 

 Stem-leaves lJ-5 in. long-; seg-ments acicular; petioles 1-3 in. long-, 

 expanded, sheathing* at the base. Primary rays of the umbel |-1| in. 

 long, rigid, g'labrous; secondary rays ^--ro i^- loQg'. Bracts of the in- 

 volucre g-labrous, J— IJ in. long* by less than y'^ in. wide, acute, shorter 

 than the outer primary rays. Involucels l-\ in. long". Petals equal, 

 2^ in- wide. Styles reflexed over the tops of the mericarps ; st3'lopods 

 depresso-convex ; 4 vittoe in each commissural face. Fruit ^ in. long. 



South Central. Highlands of Batoka country, Dr. Kirk! 3000 ft. alt. Flowers 

 and fruits in July. 



16. FERULA, Linn, j Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant, i. 917. 



Calyx-teeth rather prominent, small. Petals ovate, with inflected 

 lanceolate acumen, slightly emarginate, nearly equal. Stamens with 

 filaments longer than the petals. Disk flat, with narrow undulating- 

 margin. Fruit oval, dorsally much compressed. Primary ridges o, 

 blunt except the marginal ones, which are winged, 3 (or rarely 2) being 

 plainly visible on each dorsal face. Vitt* about 3 between each primary 

 ridge, and 4 on the commissural face j carpophore bipartite. Seeds 

 dorsally compressed, somewhat concave. — Perennial glaucescent herbs. 

 Leaves highly decompound with filiform segments. Petioles of the 

 upper leaves much dilated, sheathing. Umbels regularly compound, of 

 many primary and secondary rays, terminal, subterminal, and lateral. 

 Involucre and involucels none or of few caducous leaves. Flowers 

 yellow^ polygamous. 



A large genus, inhabiting South Europe, Western and Central Asia, and North 

 Africa. 



1. P. comm-uxiisy Linn.; DC. Prod, iv. 172. Stem terete, striate, 

 thick, 4-8 ft. high, with reddish spots or patches. Leaves widely 

 spreading, the lower ones large. Petioles much dilated, membranous, 

 sometimes 6 in. long and 1 in. wide, auricled or sagittate at apex. Root- 

 leaves on very long petioles, which gradually expand into sheaths. 

 Central umbels on peduncles about J in. long, bearing hermaphrodite 

 flowers ; lateral umbels barren on peduncles 3-34 ^^- ^^^8"? i^ *^^ axils 

 of the uppermost leaves, which are nearly or quite reduced to sheathing 

 petioles. Primary rays nearly equal, about IJ in. long; secondary 

 rays about ^ in. long. Fruit scarcely ^ in. long by i in. broad. — Ferula 

 abyssinica, Hochst. in A. Rich. Fl. Abyss, i. 326. 



Nile Land. Abyssinia, Schimper ! 6000-7000 ft. alt. Fl. and fr. November. 

 Occurs also iu Algeria, on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, and in Western 

 Asia. 



The young stems when cooked are eaten in Abyssinia. 

 Abyssinian names, Diehgo, Dgog, Deok. 



17. PEUCEDANUM, Linn.; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant, i. 918. 



Calyx-teeth obsolete or small. Petals lanceolate, oval or obovate, 

 with inflected acumen, emarginate or nearly entire. Margin of the 



