368 PIMPINELLA. ICLASS v. ORDER n. 



its growth. These are made by some of the Continental Botanists 

 separate varieties ; but as they are probably only varied owing to 

 the local circumstances of their growth, we do not think it necessary. 



Burnet Saxifrage was formerly placed in the Materia Medica of the 

 Edinburgh Pharmacopeia. The roots, which have a hot, pungent, 

 bitterish taste, were recommended as a stomachic, and a decoction was 

 thought useful as a stimulating gargle in affections of the throat, 

 and to remove freckles from the face ; the root masticated for a lime, 

 is said to relieve the tooth-ache from its stimulating the salivary 

 secretions. 



2. P. mag^na, Linn. (Fig. 432.) greater Burnet Saxifrage. Leaves 

 pinnated ; leaflets ovate, serrated, somewhat cut ; stem angular, fur- 

 rowed, leafy ; fruit oblong, ovate, smooth. 



English Botany, t. 408. English Flora, vol. ii. p 90. Hooker, 

 British Flora, vol. i. p. 130. Lindley, Synopsis, p. 121. 



Root tapering, stout, somewhat woody. Stem erect, stout, angular, 

 and deeply furrowed, from one and a half to three feet high, smooth 

 and much branched above, leafy. Leaves a lively green, smooth above, 

 beneath somewhat shining, strongly ribbed, and clothed more or less 

 thickly with a short close soft pubescence, the lower leaves on long 

 slender furrowed and channeled footstalks. Leaflets about funr pairs, 

 and a terminal one, the lower ones on short footstalks, the upper sessile, 

 ovate oblong, somewhat irregularly coarsely serrated, and the lower 

 ones variously cut andlobed, the terminal leaflet mostly three-cleft and 

 cut irregularly ; the upper leaves of the stem with short dilated sheath- 

 ing footstalks, and narrow lanceolate coarsely serrated leaves. Umbels 

 numerous, terminal and lateral, the general of numerous slender angular 

 unequal rays, partial crowded with short very slender unequal angular 

 ones. General and partial involucre wanting. Flowers crowded, 

 small, white, nearly regular, sometimes rose colour. Calyx a very 

 narrow scarcely distinguishable margin. Petals five, small, obovate, 

 notched with an obtuse incurved point, about half as long as the petal. 

 Stamen with long slender filaments and roundish anthers. Styles 

 long, slender, with small globose stigmas, the disk large, flesh convex, 

 crowning the oblong ovate fruit, which is smooth. Carpels with five 

 slender ridges, the lateral ones forming the margins, the sides com- 

 pressed. Channels with three or more simple slender wtt<z. Albumen 

 rounded at the back, flat in front. 



Habitat. Under hedges and in shady places ; not unfrequent in 

 various parts of England. Friar's Walk, near Cork ; Mucruss Woods, 

 near the Abbey and Church-yard, at Youghall, Ireland. 

 Perennial; flowering in July and August. 



This species, readily distinguished from the last, is less frequent, and 

 is not, though possessed of similar properties, so strong. 



