136 TTMBELLIFEBJ2. 



Fanny's specimens were more attainable a kind-hearted 

 naval captain who was of their party climbed up the rocks and 

 procured a bundle of the plants, supposing she was going to 

 make a pickle of them. The flowers open in August. 



The Stone Parsley (Athamanta libanotis), is rare, it grows 

 to the height of two feet, and bears hemispherical umbels, 

 deeply pinnate leaves, and whitish flowers adorned with violet 

 stamens. It frequents chalky hills. 



Edward has specimens of both the Burnet Saxifrages from 

 Kent. The common one (Pimpinella saxifraga), much resem- 

 bles the Earthnut, but is distinguished by having roundish 

 leaflets on the root-leaves, while the segments of the stem-leaves 

 are thread-like. The greater Burnet Saxifrage (P. magna), 

 has all its leaflets oval and serrated. It grows freely in waste 

 ground, while the common species frequents hilly pastures. 

 Both flower in August. 



We now come to the fifth group, characterised by having 

 the smooth seed compressed at the sides. The first family in 

 this group is that of the Water Parsnips. The Large-leaved 

 species (Slum latifolium), with its handsome flat umbels, I 

 have only seen in a print ; but the Narrow-leaved (Sium 

 angustifolium), is a common inhabitant of the ditches in 

 the water-meadows in Wiltshire. The leaves are fairly large 

 and pinnate; they are sometimes mistaken for those of the 

 Water Cress, and being poisonous, evil effects accrue from the 

 error. The terminal leaflet of the Water Cress is larger than 

 any of the others, while the final leaflet of this Water Parsnip 

 is smaller than its fellows. Attention to this distinction 

 would save many a mistake. The umbels are small, and 

 grow upon a stalk from the side of the stem opposite to the 

 leaves. 



The Procumbent Water Parsnip (S. nodiflorum), grows in 

 the same ditches ; it is easily distinguished by its prostrate 

 growth and umbels seated on the main stem opposite the leaves. 



The Creeping Water Parsnip (S. repens), I found in a similar 



