250 THE trilBELLATE FAMILY. 



obloug tubers, at a greater or less distance from the stock, or, in very wet 

 places, remaining sometimes slender throughout. Stems erect, firmer and 

 more solid tlian in the common (E., 1 to 2 feet high or sometimes more, with 

 a few long branches. Leaves much more divided than in the last species, 

 but very variable ; the upper ones usually with long, narrow segments, those 

 of the radical leaves much shorter and broader, and sometimes very nume- 

 rous. Umbels of 8 to 15 rather short rays ; the general involucre of a few 

 smaU, linear bracts, or sometimes wanting ; the partial ones of several small, 

 linear bracts. The fertile sessile or shortly pedicellate flowers, and the dis- 

 tinctly pedicellate barren ones, are mixed in the same umbels ; the persistent 

 styles on the ripe fruits much shorter than in the common (E. 



In meadows, pastures, and marshes, tlu-oughout central and southern 

 Europe, extending northwards to the Baltic, and eastward to the Caucasus. 

 Abundant in many parts of England and Ireland, but does not penetrate far 

 into Ireland. Fl. summer and autumn. The great variations in the tubers 

 ol the roots and in the form of the radical leaves has induced its division into 

 two, three, or four species. These differences have, liowever, been shown to 

 depend often on soil and situation ; at the same time rather more constant 

 differences have been pointed out in the fruiting umbels, although even here 

 intermediate states sliow that the two following should be considered rather 

 as marked varieties than as true species. 



a. Meadow Parsley CE. ((E. pimpineUoides, Brit. Fl ) Flowers assuming 

 occasionally a faint tinge of yellowish-green, Fruiting pedicels (although 

 very short) enlarged at the top so as to form a callosity round the base of 

 the fruit, which is itself fully as broad at the base as at the top. In dry or 

 moist, but not marshy meadows and pastures, and the commonest form in 

 inland situations. 



b. Marsh Parsley (E. ((E. Laehenalii, Brit. Fl.) Flowers of a purer 

 white ; the fruiting pedicels less conspicuous, but little enlarged at the top ; 

 the fruits either cylindrical or narrowed at the base. In wet marshes, and 

 especially in maritime salt-marshes. 



3. Hemlock Snanth. OBnanthe crocata, Linn. 



(Eng. Bot. t. 2313.) 



A stout, branched species, attaining 3 to 5 feet ; the root-fibres forming 

 thick, elongated tubers close to the stock ; the juice both of the stem and 

 roots becoming yellow when exposed to the air. Leaves twice or thrice 

 pinnate ; the segments much larger than in the other species, always above 

 half an inch long, broadly cuneate or rounded, and deeply cut into 3 or 5 

 lobes. Umbels on long, terminal peduncles, with 15 to 20 rays, 2 inches 

 long or more ; the bracts of the involucres smaU and linear, several in the 

 partial ones, few or none ujider the general umbel. The pedicellate flowers 

 at the circumference of the partial umbels are mostly but not always 

 barren, the central fertile ones almost sessile. Fruit somewhat corky, the 

 ribs broad and scarcely prominent. 



In wet ditches, and along rivers and streams in western Europe, extend- 

 ing eastward into Italy, but not into central France. Common in England, 

 Ireland, and southern Scotland. Fl. summer. 



4. Fine-leaved CSnanth. ^nanthe Phellandrium, Lam. 

 (Phellandrium aquaf/cum, Eng. Bot. t. 684.) 

 Stem rooting at the base, and cither thickened and erect, or elongated and 



