168 UMBELLIFER^. [SMYRNIUM. 



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

 dark brown ; ridges variab'e 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 ; vittae or 1 or more in the furrows, continuous 

 or interrupted ; styles short, reflexed. 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. ro.tundifo'lium, L. ; annual, stem fistular, leaves perforate. 

 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 l-2|in., lower oblong, upper suborbicular api dilate; nerves radiating. 

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

 connate at the base, suberect in fruit. Fruit broad, | in. ; vittse ; 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 J-amplexicaul. 

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

 stock branched. Stems lf-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., W. 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 

 |f 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; vittse 0. 

 DISTRIB. Europe, N. Africa, W. Asia. 



4. B. arista' turn, Bartl. ; annual, stem short solid, leaves ensiform 

 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 



