UMBELLlFERyE 339 



kind of cup or Henri-Quatre-collar, which gives it a very 

 distinct character. All Swiss mountainous districts, from 

 5oo-i8oo m. 



Rambert has honoured it with charming pages in les 

 Plantes alpines : "This is," says he, "the plant par 

 excellence of the alpine foothills, a good, sturdy daughter 

 who has in her bearing nothing plebeian or vulgar, yet 

 is equally free from all empty effeminacy." 



Fields where the Masterworts abound have an air of 

 gaiety, of country cleanness and honest village plenty. 

 Favrat, a typical Vaudois botanist in his joyous disposi- 

 tion and abundant humour, proclaims in his turn : 

 "How remarkable ! Since 1 saw the Masterwort, 1 have 

 sloughed off careworn humanity, eased myself of all that 

 might overcast my liberty, thrown all the ballast overboard 

 like an aeronaut who must and will rise at all costs." 



On the hillsides near Les Avants and above Caux, on 

 the faces of the Rochers de Naye and the Dent de Jaman 

 a variety with dark-red flowers is to be found, though 

 usually the involucre is greenish-white with a tinge of rose. 



Culture of the easiest; at home in any good soil and 

 any partly shaded position. Flowers profusely from 

 July to October. 



Jl. minor is a small, slender and delicate plant; leaves 

 deeply cut, with narrow, deeply divided, glossy leaves ; 

 flowers small, white, surrounded with a white collar- 

 still a ruff a la Henri IV of linear, veined bracts. Rocky 

 slopes of granitic Alps from 1 5oo-2ooo m. This is even 

 more charming than the larger variety and equally easy. 

 Both are propagated by cuttings or seeds. 



Other species 



A few other umbellifers are found in our mountains 

 which deserve mention. In any case>^/ei//n athamanticum 



