cr-Ass V. ORDER ii.j PHYSOSPERMUM. 411 



heart-shaped anthers. Sti/les short, elon,2;aling', spreading. Sticfmas 

 small, glo])ose. Disk small, conical. Fruit large, dark brown, smooth, 

 polished, elliptical, acute at the apex, contracted into a short beak, 

 somewhat serrated, the sides compressed. Carpels with five equal 

 prominent ri(l(jes, acute, with two shallow line furrows near the edge, 

 formed by an internal white fibrous thread, running the whole length 

 of the outer angle of the hollow cavity in the ridges. Channels deep, 

 quite smooth, without vittce. Albumen rounded at the back, the sides 

 rolled inwards, or deeply furrowed in front, closely invested with a 

 secondary covering of the pericarp. 



Habitat. — Pastures, river sides, and shady places ; in the middle 

 and north of England, and lowlands of Scotland, but not very common. 



Perennial; flowering in May and June. 



The seeds, as well as the whole plant, have a pleasant aromatic odour. 

 It has long been cultivated, though now much neglected ; it was es- 

 teemed a culinary herb, grateful both to the palate and stomach, being 

 gently aperient and diuretic. The leaves were used in salads, and the 

 roots and stems eaten boiled or candied with sugar into a sweetmeat ; 

 and in Geimany the seeds are used to flavour some kinds of soups : 

 while in the North of England they are used to perfume and polish 

 oaken floors and furniture. 



Tribe 9. Smyrne^e. — Koch. Fruit turgid, with the sides com- 

 pressed or contracted. Carpels with five primary ridges, the 

 lateral ones forming the margin, or placed before it, sometimes 

 the ridges are nearly obliterated. Albumen with the sides rolled 

 inwards, or furrowed in front. 



GENUS LXXXIV. PHYSOSPER'MUM.— Cdsson. 

 Bladder Seed. 



Gen. Char. Calyx margin of five teeth. Petals obcordate, with an 

 inflexed point. Fruit laterally compressed. Carpels roundish, 

 ■with five equal ridges, of which the lateral ones are placed within 

 the margin. Channels with single vittce. Albumen with the 

 sides rolled inwards. General and partial involucres of numerous 

 segments.— Named from (^vcroc, a bladder ; and o-Trsf/xa, a seed ; 

 from the shape of the seed. 

 1. P. Cornu'biense, Hook. (Fig. 472.) Cornish Bladder Seed. Stem 



erect, rough below, smooth above; root leaves bi-teruate or tri-ternate ; 



VOL. I. 3 H 



