168 UMBELLIFER^. [Smyrnium. 



and terminal, subglobose; rays few or many, long or short. Fruit ^ in., 

 dark brown ; ridges variaVe in prominence and number ; outer coat of the 

 pericarp often loose ; vittse adhering to the inner. — Distrib. From Holland 

 southd., native only in Mediterranean region, Ball. — Formerly cultivated as 

 a pot-herb. 



7, BUPLEU'RUM, L. Hare's-EAR. 



Annual or perennial, glabrous herbs or shrubs. Leaves simple, quite 

 entire. Umbels compound, many-rayed, or irregular and few-rayed ; bracts 

 and bracteoles many and leafy, or few and small, or ; flowers yellow, 

 sessile or pedicelled. Calyx-teeth 0. Petals hooded, with an inflexed 

 point. Disk-lobes tumid or dilated. Fruit laterally compressed ; com- 

 missure broad, carpophore 2-fid ; carpels 5 -angled, primary ridges promi- 

 nent or winged or ; vittre or 1 or more in the furrows, continuous 

 or interrupted ; styles short, re flexed. Seed subterete, flat concave or 

 deeply grooved ventral ly. — Distrib. Europe, temp. Asia, N. and S. Africa, 

 N.W. America ; species 60. — Etym. obscure. *! 



1. B. rotundifo'lium, L. ; annual, stem fistular, leaves perfoliate. 

 Chalky fields, rare, E. and S. counties, from York to Kent and Somerset ; 



fl. June-July. — Glaucous. Stem 8-18 in., simple or branched above, terete. 

 Leaves 1-2| in., lower oblong, upper suborbicular apiculate; nerves radiating. 

 Bracts ; bracteoles 3-5, ovate, leafy, longer than the many short rays, 

 connate at the base, suberect in fruit. Fruit broad, § in. ; vittae ; ridges 

 slender. — Distrib. Europe, W. Asia; introd. in N. America. 



2. B. falca'tum, L. ; perennial, stem erect slender fistular, leaves 

 oblong-lanceolate, nerves many parallel, upper broader ^-amplexicaul. 

 Hedgerows and fields, Surrey and Essex ; a doubtful native; fl. Aug. — Root- 

 stock branched. Stems l|-4 ft., simple or branched above. Radical leaves 

 1-3 in., acute ; petiole ^-amplexicaul ; cauline recurved. Umbels very small ; 

 bracts 2-5, short, unequal ; bracteoles 4-5, oblong, awned. Flowers minute. 

 Fruit % in., narrow ; ridges prominent; vittse in threes. — Distrib. From 

 Belgium southd., "YV. Asia to India and Japan. 



3. B. tenuis'simum, L. ; annual, stem solid, leaves linear-lanceolate 

 acuminate 3-nerved, bracts subulate. 



Waste places and salt marshes, local, from Durham to Devon and Kent ; 

 fl. Aug.-Sept. — Stem 6-18 in., erect or procumbent, flexuous, ribbed. Leaves 

 ^-1 in., rigid, lowest slightly dilated upwards. Umbels axillary, very small, 

 racemed or subspicate along the branches ; bracts 3-5, unequal ; bracteoles 

 similar. Fruit broad, minute, granulate ; ridges prominent ; vittae 0. — 

 Distrib. Europe, N. Africa, W. Asia. 



4. B. arista' turn, Bartl. ; annual, stem short solid, leaves en si form 

 pungent 3-5-nerved, bracts oblong awned. B. Odontites, Sm. not of L. 

 Sandy and rocky banks, Devon, very rare, E. Sussex ; Channel Islands ; 



fl. July. — Stem 2-8 in., rigid, simple, or forked ; branches stout, divaricate, 

 ribbed. Leaves ^-1 in. lowest sometimes petioled. Bracts 3-5, concealing 



