Cicuta.'] PENTANDKIA — DIGYNIA. Ill 



for the purpose of lowering the pulse. So powerful a plant should be 

 carefully discriminated from its allies ; and it is best distinguished by its 

 spotted stem, fetid smell, and by the unilateral partial involucres, toge- 

 ther with the waved ridges of the fruit. 



50. Physospermcm. Cuss, Bladder-seed. 



1. P. Cornuhieiise, (^Cornish Bladder- seed). — P.aquilegifolium, 

 Koch. — P. commutatum, Spreng. Umbell. Spec. p. 22. t. 4. f, 

 7, 8. — Danaa aquilegifolia, All. Ped. n. 1392. t. 63. — Ligusticum 

 aquilegi folium, Willd. Sp. PL v. \. p. 1425. — L. Conmbiense, L. 

 Sp. PL p. 359. E. Bot. t. 683. — Smyriiium tenuifolium 7iostias, 

 DHL in Raii Syn. p. 209, t. 8. (,fig. bad). 



Bushy fields in Cornwall ; about Bodmin. Ft. July. %. — Stem a foot 

 and a half to 2 feet high, erect, striated, glabrous, panicled above. 

 Leaves mostly radical, on long stalks, triternate ; leaflets wedge-shaped, 

 cut and laciniated or deeply tripartite, the segments acute, glabrous or 

 minutel}' downy on the veins and margins. Cauline leaves few, small, 

 less divided, the segments longer and slenderer. Umbels on long ter- 

 minal stalks, of 10 — 12 spreading, lax rays. Universal and partial in- 

 volucres of from I — 4 or 3 lanceolate, somewhat membranaceous leaves. 

 Partial vmbels spreading, rather lax, of many flowers ; of which several 

 in the centre bear only stainens and are consequently abortive. Cal. 

 evident. Petals rather long, almost unguiculate, white. Gerynen ovato- 

 globose, laterally' compressed, furrowed ; ovides very loose within. 

 Fruit almost globose, laterally compressed, and contracted between the 

 carpels, so as to be didymous. Carpels reniform, globose, with 5 

 ridges: the coat crustaceous and so loose that the seec/ is free within. 

 In the first edition of this work, I have fully given my reasons for refer- 

 ring to this plant the P. aquilegifolium oi Koch. 



51. Smyrnium. Linn. Alexanders. 



1. S. Olusdlrum, L. (common Alexanders); cauline leaves ter- 

 nate petiolate serrate. E. Bot. t. 230. 



Waste ground and among ruins, especially near the sea ; not unfre- 



quent. FL May, June. ^ Stem 3—4 feet high, very stout, furrowed. 



Leaves bright yellow-green ; twice (or the lower ones thrice) ternate, 

 with a very broad membranous base ; lea/lets very large, broadly ovate,^ 

 lobed and serrated. Flowers yellow-green, in very dense, numerous, 

 rounded umbels. Involucres none. Fruit almost black when ripe. — 

 Aromatic, but too strong and pungent to be agreeable. It was formerly 

 used as a potherb, and takes its specific name from olus, a potherb and 

 ater, black ; in allusion, apparently, to the black colour of the fruit. ^ 



52. Cicuta. JAnn. Cowbane. 



1. C. virosa, L. (Cowhane or loater Hemlocli). E. Bot. ^.479. 



In ditches, and about the margins of rivers and lakes in England and 

 the lowlands of Scotland ; but not very frequent. FL July, Aug. If. 

 — Stem 3 — 4 feet high, branched. Root and lower part of the stem, 

 which is very large, hollow, and divided by transverse partitions into large 

 cells. Leaves biternate, the radical ones pinnated ; leaflets lanceolate, 

 serrated. Umbels pediuiculated. — A deadly poison to man, but cattle 

 are said to eat the leaves with impunity. 



