156 SUB-ALPINE PLANTS 



The commonest species, and growing in hot, sub-alpine valleys, 

 such as the Rhone Valley, up to rocky pastures and cols at an 

 elevation of over 8500 feet. 



Distribution. — Eastern, Central, and. Western Alps ; Pyrenees ; 

 Central Europe from Spain to Bosnia. 



Athamanta L. 

 Athamanta cretensis L. 



Stem erect or ascending, terete, furrowed, simple, or branched, 

 either downy or glabrous, there being two distinct forms of this 

 plant which Dr. Briquet has distinguished. Leaves tri- to multi- 

 piimate ; lobes linear or linear-lanceolate. Umbels 1-5 rayed ; 

 general involucre few-leaved, deciduous, or wanting ; partial 

 involucre many-leaved ; bracts lanceolate, apiculate, membranous 

 with an herbaceous centre. Flowers white, often tinged with red. 

 Cremocarp densely covered with short, spreading hairs. Variable 

 in size and pubescence according to situation. 



Rocky and stony places in limestone mountains. June to 

 August. Seen by writer up to 8500 feet in Savoy. 



Distribution. — Carpathians, Jura, Eastern, Central, and Western 

 Alps. It extends from S. Germany to the Var and from Bosnia to 

 Spain. 



Meum Miller. 



Leaves very finely dissected. Umbels compound, with partial 

 involucre of several bracts. Petals entire, white or pinkish. Fruit 

 oblong, with 5 prominent, acute ribs. A genus of very few European 

 species, and with not many distinctive characters. 



Meum athamanticum Jacq. 



Stem erect, terete, furrowed, glabrous like the entire plant, 

 few-leaved, usually branched. Leaves bi- to ter-pinnate ; lobes 

 divided many times into capillary, almost whorled segments. 

 General involucre many-leaved, often unilateral. Bracts linear- 

 subulate, about as long as the secondary umbels. Flowers whitish, 

 small. A good forage plant. 



Alpine and sub - alpine pastures ; 3000 - 6600 feet ; rare in 

 Switzerland. June to August. 



Distribution. — Western and Central Europe, as far north as 

 Norway, occasionally in Britain. 



Meum Mutellina Gaertn. [Ligusticum Mutellina Crantz). 



Stem 12-18 inches high, erect, round, furrowed, glabrous like 

 the whole plant, sometimes branching above into 2 or 3 branches, 

 and in that case 1-2 leaved. Leaves bi- or ter-pinnate, segments 

 pinnatifid, with linear - lanceolate teeth. General involucre of a 

 single bract or wanting ; partial involucre of 3 or more lanceolate- 



