CLASS V. ORDER II.] PEUCBDANUM. 395 



The whole plant, when bruised, has a strong disagreeable sulphu- 

 reous smell, and an acrid, unctuous, bitterish taste. The root, when 

 wounded, especially during the Spring and Autumn months, yields a 

 considerable quantity of yellow juice, which soon dries into a solid 

 gum or resinous mass, which retains the taste and smell of the fresh 

 plant. It was formerly used as a medicine in nervous affections, and 

 esteemed useful in bypochondriasis ; but the plants grown with us do 

 not yield any quantity of the resinous matter, the juice nearly all 

 evaporating away : this perhaps is owing either to the soil or climate. 

 It grows much more luxuriantly, and is stronger in warmer climates 

 than with us ; but its use as a medicine is now abandoned. 



2. P.palus'tre, Mcench. (Fig. 455.) Marsh Hog's Fennel, or Milk 

 Parsley. Stem furrowed ; leaves ternate ; leaflets pinnatifid, with 

 linear lanceolate segments, tipped with a hard point ; involucres of 

 numerous lanceolate segments ; rays of the umbels rough. 



Hooker, British Flora, vol. i. p. 134. Lindley, Synopsis, p. 116. 

 Selinum palustre, Linn. English Botany, t. 229. English Flora, 

 vol. ii. p. 97. 



Root tapering, with numerous long fibres. Stem erect, roundish, 

 deeply furrowed, smooth, about five feet high, simple or branched 

 above, green or purplish at the lower part. Leaves distant, the upper 

 ones small, the lower on long furrowed or striated footstalks, with a 

 thin membranous dilated somewhat sheathing base, ternate, with oppo- 

 site leaflets much divided, the segments linear lanceolate, smooth, 

 veiuy, somewhat paler beneath, tipped with a hard sharp point. 

 Umbels terminal and lateral, the general of numerous long unequal 

 striated rays, rough, with short rigid hairs, as well as the partial short 

 slender ones. Involucre both general and partial of numerous lanceo- 

 late taper pointed segments, veiny and rough, with hairs. Flowers 

 white, equal, numerous. Calyx of five small obtuse teeth. Petals 

 ovate, notched, with an inflexed point. Stamens on long slender fila- 

 ments, with small ovate anthers. Styles short, elongating after flower- 

 ing. Stigmas small, obtuse. Disk convex. Fruit elliptical, flattened 

 at the back with a broad dilated, smooth, even, entire border. Carpels 

 with five equi-distant slender ridges, three at the back, the two lateral 

 ones close to the margin scarcely distinguishable. Channels with three 

 vittte, not so superficial as those of the last species. Albumen flattened. 

 Habitat. Marsh and damp boggy situations, by the side of rivers ; 

 but not common. Yorkshire, Lancashire, about Norwich and the Isle 

 of Ely, Ardincaple, on the Clyde in Scotland. Mr. Hopkirk. 

 Biennial ; flowering in July. 



The whole plant abounds with a white, thick, fetid juice, bitter; 

 which, upon drying, leaves a brownish gum-resin, possessing the same 

 qualities as the last. It is said the roots are used in Russia in the 

 place of ginger. 



VOL. I. 3 F 



