36G PIMPINELLA. [class Y. ORDER II. 



Root a solituvy tuber, about the size of a mit. Stem erect, from one 

 to two feet bigh, round, smooth, finely striated, slender, branched 

 above, and bearing but few leaves, that part of the stem beneath the 

 ground is very slender, tough, and wiry, waved. Leaves very few, 

 pinnated, leaflets much divided into linear segments, quite smooth, 

 dark green, the radical ones on long slender waved striated footstalks, 

 the upper ones with very short dilated sheathing footstalks, and the 

 leaflets with longer narrower segments. Umbels three or four, terminal, 

 the general of numerous long slender angular, nearly equal rays, the 

 partial of very numerous short crowded rays, mostly unequal in 

 flower. General involucre wanting, or sometimes there are one or two 

 narrow segments, partial either wanting or of a few narrow lanceolate 

 segments. Flcncers numerous, v\hite. Calyx an obtuse slightly 

 notched margin. Petals obovate, notched at the extremity with an 

 obtuse inflexed point, about half as long as the petal. Stamens on 

 slender filaments, longer than the petals. Anthers small, round. 

 Styles short, straight, or spreading, with a conical (Ush, and small 

 obtuse stigma. Fruit long, narrow, smooth, and shining, somewhat 

 tapering above, and crowned by the conical disks, the sides slightly 

 compressed. Carpels each with five slender ridges, the lateral ones 

 forming the margins. Channels with numerous slender simple vitlcB. 

 Albumen rounded at the back, somewhat flattened in front. 



Habitat. — Woods and pastures ; frequent. 



Perennial ; flowering in May and June. 



The sweet and esculent tuberous roots of the Earth-nut, containing a 

 considerable portion of farinaceous matter, are very nutritive, and are 

 much sought after by pigs ; and it is an amusement for children to 

 trace them to their deep situation in the ground by the slender stem 

 which guides them to it, and in times when there is a scarcity of 

 provisions they have been sought after as human food ; when dried, 

 they are readily powdered into flour, which has much the taste and 

 appearance of arrow root, for which it might be substituted. 



GENUS LVIII. PIMPIN'ELLA.— Linn. Burnet Saxifrage. 



Gen. Char. Calyx margin obsolete. Pete/s obovate, notched, with 

 an inflexed point. Fruit ovate, laterally compressed, crowned by 

 the convex disk and long slender style. Carpets with five filiform 

 ridges, the lateral ones forming the margins. Channels with 

 many vitta. Albumen roundish at the back, plain in front. 

 Involucre wanting. Flou-ers white. — Name altered, according to 

 Linnaeus, from Bipcnnula, tu-ice pinnated. 



