Thaspium. UMBELLIFER^. 273 



2. Thaspium aureum, Nutt. Golden Thaspium. 



Lower and middle cauline leaves biternately, and the uppermost ternately divided ; segments 



oblong-lanceolate, mostly cuneate at the base, sharply serrate, the serratures cartilaginous on 



the margin; carpels with the winged ribs nearly equal. — Nutt. gen. 1. p. 196; Torr. <^ 



Gr.Jl. N. Am. l.p. 616. Sm3rrnium aureum, Bigel.Jl. Bost. p. 113. Sison aureus, Torr. 



Jl. 1. p. 305. 



Root rather thick, horizontal, somewhat pungent. Stem 1-3 feet high, simple or a little 

 branching towards the summit, nearly smooth at the nodes. Lower leaves on long petioles 

 which are deeply 3-parted, the divisions ternately divided, the middle segment often 3-lobed 

 or deeply 3-parted ; uppermost leaves for the most part ternately divided, but sometimes 

 biternate ; segments 1-2 inches long, acute. Umbels on long peduncles, 10 - 20-rayed ; 

 the rays 1 - Ij inch long. Involucels often very short. Fruit oval, about 2 lines long; the 

 wings conspicuous, sometimes a little unequal. 



Wet meadows, and banks of rivers ; western part of the State. June. 



T. cordatum, var. a. (in part), Fl. N. Am. I. c, I now tliink is a variety of this species, as 

 I have numerous specimens from the Western States, sent by Mr. Sullivant, Dr. Short and 

 Dr. Clapp, that show a gradual transition from one species to the other. 1 have not found it, 

 however, in this State. From Zizia aurea it is scarcely to be distinguished except by the 

 fruit, the characters of which seem to be very constant. It will be seen, by a reference to the 

 Flora of North America, that some changes have been made in the arrangement of the species 

 of this genus and of Zizia. With the exception of the fruit, the resemblance between Z. 

 aurea and T. aureum, and between Z. coi-data and T. cordatum (now T. aureum, var. cor- 

 datum), is so great that they may easily be confounded. It is possible that these species may 

 not be distinct, and perhaps the two genera (excluding Z. integerrima) should be united. 



3. Thaspium barbinode, Nutt. Hairy-jointed Thaspium. 



Stem dichotomous above, bearded at the nodes; leaves bi-triternately compound ; segments 

 rhombic-ovate, unequally and incisely serrate, entire at the base ; umbels in the forks of the 

 stem, and terminal ; fruit elliptical or ovoid, the 3 dorsal wings usually alternately narrower. 

 — Nutt. gen. 1. p. 196 ; DC. prodr. 4. p. 154 ; Beck, hot. p. 146 ; Darlingt.Jl. Cest. p. 192 ; 

 Torr. <^ Gr.Jl. N. Am. 1. p. 616. Ligusticum barbinode, Miclix. ji. 1 p. 167; Pursh, 

 jl. \. p. 193. Thapsia trifoliata, Spreng. in Schult. syst. 6. p. 615 ; Torr. jl. l.p. 317. 

 Smyrnium barbinode, Muhl. cat. p. 31. 



Stem about 2 feet high, terete, smooth except at the joints. Lower leaves mostlj^ biternate ; 

 those at the forks of the stem opposite ; uppermost only simply ternate : segments 1-2 inches 

 long : petioles pubescent at the base. Umbels on peduncles which are 2-3 inches in length : 

 rays about an inch long. Involucels of about 3 narrow leaflets. Calyx-teeth very short, acute. 

 Styles slender, nearly erect, almost the length of the ovary. Fruit varying from roundish-ovoid 

 [Flora.] 35 



