ttmbeiiifer;!:. 253 



and hollow, 1 to 2 feet liigli, slightly branched. Lower leaves on long 

 stalks, deeply divided into 3, each branch bearing 3 broadly ovate or obovate 

 toothed segments, or 1 segment deeply divided into 3 lobes, each segment 

 above an inch long. Upper leaves less divided, with short stalks. Umbels 

 of 12 to 20 rays, with a general involucre of 2 or 3 very narrow bracts, 

 and more numerous ones to the partial umbels. Fruits near 4 hues long. 



A high northern plant, extending all round the Arctic Circle. Common 

 on the rocky seacoasts of Scotland and northern Ireland, descending also to 

 the north of England. Fl. summer. 



XXI. SII.AI7S. SILAUS. 



Leaves dissected. Umbels compound, with partial involucres of several 

 bracts. Flowers yellowish. Petals scarcely notched. Fruit of Lavage, 

 but with the ribs scarcely acute. 



A genus of two or three European and Asiatic species, but slightly differ- 

 ing fi'om Lavage chiefly in the colour of the flowers. 



1. Meadow Silaus. Silaus pratensis, Bess. 

 {Peucedanum Silaus, Eug. Bot. t. 2142. Pepper Saxifrage.') 



A glabrous, erect perennial, 1 to 2, or sometimes near 3 feet high, 

 slightly branched. Leaves once, twice, or three times pinnate ; the segments 

 not numerous, nan-ow-oblong, ^ to 1 inch long, entire or 3-lobed. Umbels 

 all terminal, not large, of about 6 to 8 rays. General involucres usually 

 of 1 or 2 small bracts, with several small narrow-linear ones to the partial 

 umbels. Flowers of a pale greenish-yellow. Carpels about 2 Unes long. 



In meadows, and moist, bushy pastures, throughout Europe and Russian 

 Asia, except the extreme north. In Britain, spread over England and 

 southern Scotland, but scarce ia the western counties and ia Ireland. Fl. 

 summer, rather late. 



XXII. SFIGNEI.. MEUM. 



Leaves finely dissected. Umbels compound, with partial involucres of 

 several bracts. Petals white or pink, entu-e, with an incurved point. Fruit 

 [oblong, without distinct calycine teeth. Carpels with 5 prominent, acute 

 [ribs, and 2 or 3 vittas under each furrow. 



A genus of two or three European species, differing by characters of 

 Vdcj little importance from Lavage, with which some botanists unite it. 



1. Common Spi^nel. Meum Athamanticum, Jacq. 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 2249. Spignel, Meu, or Baldmoney.) 

 Stock short, perennial, with a tuft of radical leaves ; their segments deeply 

 at into numerous very fine, but short lobes, so as to have the appearance 

 of being whorled or clustered along the common stalk, as in the tvhorled 

 Varum, but the stalk itself is once or twice pinnately cUvided, not simple 

 as in that plant. Stems 1 or rarely near 2 feet high, with a very few 

 smaller and less divided leaves. Umbels terminal, not large, of 10 to 15 

 rays, with one or two nan-ow bracts to the general one, and partial invo- 

 ■lucres of a small number of short, slender bracts. Fruits about 4 Unas 

 long. 



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