166 UMBELL1FERJE. [Eryngium. 



Islands ; fl. July-Aug. — Erect, 1-2 ft., less glaucous and more branched 

 than E. maritimum. — Distrib. From Denmark southd. ; N. Africa, Cau- 

 casus, W. Siberia. 



2*. ASTRANTIA, L. 



Erect herbs. Root-stock short, creeping. Leaves palmately lobed or cut. 

 Umbels simple or irregularly compound ; bracts many, radiating, often 

 coloured ; flowers polygamous, males on shorter pedicels. Calyx-limb 

 campanulate ; teeth exceeding the petals, with long points. Petals 

 notched ; point long, inflexed. Disk cup-shaped. Fruit ovoid or oblong, 

 nearly terete ; commissure broad, carpophore ; carpels dorsally com- 

 pressed, primary ridges equal, with plaited wrinkled or toothed inflated 

 ribs, furrows 1-vittate ; styles filiform. — Distiub. Europe, W. Asia ; 

 species 4 or 5. — Etym. &<rrpov, from the star-like umbels. 



A. ma'jor, L. ; leaves with 3-7 ovate-lanceolate serrate lobes. 

 Naturalized in woods, Ludlow and Malvern ; fl. June-July. — Stem 1-2 ft. 

 Radical leaves 3-4 in. diam., acute, serratures bristle-pointed ; petiole 4-10 

 in. Bracts ^-f in., ovate-lanceolate, reticulate, white beneath, above dark 

 green tinged with pink, serrulate. Flowers white or pink ; pedicels filiform. 

 Fruit § iu. ; styles spreading. — Distrib. Mid. and S. Europe, "W. Asia. 



3. SANIC'ULA, L. Sanicle. 



Slender, erect, perennial herbs. Rootstock stout, short, creeping. Leaves 

 palmately cut. Umbels small, subglobose, irregularly compound ; bracts 

 leafy ; bracteoles few ; flowers polygamous. Calyx-teeth as long as 

 the petals, subherbaceous, pungent. Petals minute, deeply notched, 

 point long inflexed. Disk dilated. Fruit ovoid ; covered with hooked 

 prickles ; commissure rather broad, carpophore ; carpels ^-terete, ridges 

 inconspicuous, furrows 1-vittate ; styles filiform. Seed flat ventrally. — 

 Distrib. N. temp, regions ; species 10. — Etym. sano, to heal. 



S. europse'a, L. ; fertile flowers subsessile, males pedicelled. 

 Copses, &c, from Caithness southd. ; ascends to 1,000 ft. in N. England ; Ire- 

 land ; fl. June-July.— Glabrous. Stem 1-2 ft., simple, almost leafless. 

 Radical leaves 1-3 in. diam., long petioled, suborbicular, 3-5-lobed or -par- 

 tite ; lobes cuneate, cut, acutely serrate. Umbel |j-f in. diam., irregular, 

 rays few ; bracts 2-5, unequal, simple or pinnatifid, serrate. Flowers pink 

 or white, outer male, central f e vv proterandrous. Fruit £ in. ; styles spreading. 

 — Distrib. Europe, Himalaya and S. India, N. and trop. Africa. 



4. PHYSOSPER'MUM, Cusson. BLADDER-SEED. 



Erect, perennial herbs ; root fusiform. Leaves 3-nately compound, 

 segments cuneate. Umbels compound ; bracts and bracteoles few, linear ; 

 flowers white. Calyx-teeth small or 0. Petals with a long inflexed point. 

 Disk-lobes conical. Fruit didymous, bladdery, broader than long ; com- 

 missure narrow, carpophore simple ; carpels terete, smooth, primary ridges 

 slender, furrows 1-vittate. Seed loose, concave ventrally. — Distrib. 



