248 THE TJMBELIiATE EAMILT. 



The B'fruticosum, a shrubby south European species, used formerly to be 

 much planted in our shrubberies, but is now more seldom met with, being 

 rather tender. 



1. Hare's-ear Buplever. Buplevruou rotundifolium, Linn. 

 (Eng. Eot. t. 99. Hare's-ear or Tliorow-wax.) 



An erect, stiff, glabrous annual, a foot or rather more high, and remark- 

 able for its broadly ovate leaves ; the upper ones embracing the stem, and 

 joined round the back of it, so that they appear perfoliate or pierced tlu-ough 

 by the stem, the lowest leaves tapering to a stalk. Umbels terminal, of 3 to 

 5, or rarely 6, short rays, without any general iavolucre ; the partial invo- 

 lucres very much longer than the flowers, consisting of 4 to 6 broadly ovate, 

 yellowish bracts very unequal in size, the largest about 6 lines long. 



A cornfield weed, apparently indigenous to the Mediterranean region, but 

 now widely spread over Europe and western Asia, and introduced into 

 Korth America. Occurs not unfrequently in cornfields in chalky soils in 

 England, but neither in Ireland nor Scotland. Fl. loith the corn. 



2. NarroTv Buplever. Buplevrum aristatum, Bartl. 

 {B. Odontites, Eng. Bot. t. 2468.) 



.All erect annual, slender but stiff, not much branched, from 2 or 3 inches 

 to near a foot high. Leaves narrow-linear and grasslike, but rather stiff, 

 1 to 2 inches long. Umbels small, terminal, of 2 to 6 very short rays. In- 

 volucres of about 5 lanceolate, green bracts ending in a fine point ; the general 

 one usually longer than the rays ; the partial ones rather shorter, but still far 

 exceeding the flowers. 



In stony wastes, very abundant in southern Eiirope and eastward to the 

 Caucasus, more scarce in central Europe. In Britain, only in the neigh- 

 bourhood of Torquay, and in the Channel Islands. Fl. summer. 



3. Slender Buplever. Buplevrum tenuissimura, Linn. 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 478.) 



A slender, wiry annual, either simple and nearly erect, or more frequently 

 divided from the base into several decmnbent or ascending branches, 6 inches 

 to a foot high. Leaves few, narrow-linear and grasslike, the ujjper ones 

 very short. Flowers in little heads of 3 or 4, nearly sessile along the upper 

 part of the stem and branches, sometimes forming little, irregularly com- 

 pound umbels at the top. Involucres of a few small, linear, pointed bracts. 

 Fruits more conspicuous than in the other species, and covered with httle 

 raised dots or granules between the ribs. 



On heaths, barren wastes, and stubbles, common in central and southern 

 Europe, especially near the sea, extending eastward to tlie Caucasus, and 

 northwards to southern Sweden. Occurs in most of the mai'itune counties 

 of England, and occasionally also found inland, but neither in Ireland nor 

 Scotland. Fl. late in summer. 



4. Falcate Buplever. Buplevrum falcatum, Linn.' 



(Eng. Bot. Suppl. t. 2763.) 



Stems stiff and erect, slightly branched, 1 to IJ feet high, forming at the 



base a short perennial stock. Leaves linear and grasshke, the radical ones 



often stalked and rather broader. Umbels terminal and compound, of 



4 to 8 rays ; the general involucre of 3 or 4 oblong or lanceolate bracts, very 



