AMMIACEAE. 



277 



1. Smyrnium Olusatrum L. Alex- 

 anders. (Fig. 300.) Stem stout, 2°-4° 

 higli. Basal and lower leaves often 1° 

 long or more, twice or sometimes thrice 

 ternately compound, long-petioled, the 

 upper once ternate, shortpetioled or 

 nearly sessile; leaf -segments ovate or 

 oval, V-2,y long, obtuse or acutish at 

 the apex, cordate to cuneate at the base, 

 crenate and often few-lobed; umbels 

 several-many-rayed, 2'-4' broad, pe- 

 duncled, the rays l'-2' long; pedicels 

 filiform, 2"-4" long; flowers numerous; 

 mature fruit 2"-3" long, the carpels 

 strongly ribbed, black, somewhat fleshy. 



Hillsides and waste grounds. Natural- 

 ized. Native of western Europe and the 

 Mediterranean region. Flowers in spring. 



7. AMMI [Tourn.] L. 

 Annual or perennial, glabrous erect branching herbs, with ternately de- 

 compound leaves, and compound umbels of white flowers. Involucre of several 

 divided bracts. Involucels of several narrow entire bracts. Calyx-teeth 

 minute or none. Petals dilated above. Stylopodium depressed. Style long. 

 Fruit oblong, flattened laterally, the carpels 5-angled, the primary ribs promi- 

 nent, the oil-tubes solitary m the intervals. [Name said to be of Egyptian 

 origin.] About 7 species, natives of the Mediterranean region and the At- 

 lantic Islands, the following typical. 



1. Ammi majus L. May-weed. 

 Bishop 's-WEED. (Fig. 301.) Annual, 

 l°-2i° high. Lower leaves 4-10' long, 

 ternately decompound, long-petioled, 

 the ultimate segments oblong to ob- 

 long-obovate, obtuse or acutish, finely 

 crenate-serrate, ^'-2' long, V wide or 

 less ; upper leaves much smaller, short- 

 j)etioled or sessile, their segments nar- 

 rowly linear; umbels '2-4' mde, the 

 rays nearly filiform, I'-li' long; umbel- 

 lets numerous, the involucel-bracts 

 about as long as the pedicels; fruit 

 about ly long. 



Common in waste and cultivated 

 grounds. Naturalized. Native of Europe 

 and Africa. Flowers from spring to 

 autumn. Introduced in Texas. 



