DMBELLIFEKiE. 263 



more flattened prickles to the fruits, is often considered as a distinct spe- 

 cies {D. maritiimis, Eng. Bet. t. 2560). 



XXXV. HEMLOCK. CONIUM. 



Leaves dissected. Umbels compound, with general and partial involucres 

 and smaU white flowers. Fruit broadly ovate, somewhat laterally com- 

 pressed, wdthout distinct calycine teeth. Carpels with 5 prominent ribs, 

 which when ripe are often shghtly waved or crenated. No vittas. Albumen 

 vidth a deep longitudinal furrow on the inner face. 



A single species, with tlie short fruit of an Apium or Senbane, but differ- 

 ing essentially in the deeply furrowed albumen. 



1. Common Hetalock. Conium maculatum, Linn. 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 1191.) 



An erect, branching annual or biennial, 3 to 5 feet high or sometimes 

 more, usually glabrous, and emitting a nauseous smell when bruised. 

 Leaves large and much divided into numerous small ovate or lanceolate 

 deeply-cut segments ; the upper leaves gradually smaller and less divided. 

 Umbels terminal, not large for the size of the plant, of 10, 12, or even 15 

 rays. Bracts short and lanceolate ; those of the general involucre variable 

 in number ; those of the partial ones almost always 3, turned to the out- 

 side of the umbel. Fruit about 2 hues long. 



On the banks of streams, along hedges, and the borders of fields, etc., 

 widely spread over Europe and temperate Asia, though not always common. 

 Generally distributed over Britain. Fl. summer. 



XXXVI. FHYSOSPERIVI. PHYSOSPEEMUM. 



Leaves dissected. Umbels compound, with general and partial involucres. 

 Flowers white. Frait 2-lobed, the carpels nearly globular, and attached by 

 a narrow edge, each with 5 scarcely visible rays, and single vittas to the 

 interstices. Albumen with a longitudinal furrow on the inner face. 



A genus of very few species, from Europe and temperate Asia. 



1. Cornish Physosperm. Physosperxuum cornubiense, DC. 



(Licfusticum. Eng. Bot. t. 683.) 



Stock perennial. Stem erect, almost leafless, IJ to 2 feet liigh, slightly 

 branched. Radical leaves on long stalks, twice or thrice ternate ; the seg- 

 ments ovate or cuneate, and deeply cut. Umbels terminal, of 10 to 12 rays, 

 with rather large, white flowers. Involucres, both general and partial, of 

 very few linear bracts. The fruits have the appearance of two httle smooth 

 bladders, placed face to face, with a loose seed in each. 



A mountain plant, occurring here and there along the great European 

 chain from the Asturias to the Caucasus, and reappearing in a few very 

 limited locahties in Cornwall and Devonshire. Fl. late in summer. The 

 Continental plant is by some botanists considered as a distinct species from 

 the British one, but the characters appear to have been derived from the 

 examination of single specimens. 



