Eryngium.] saxifragacejE. — umbellifer^. 193 



II. Cheysosplenium, Linn. Golden Saxifrage. 



"Calyx superior, 4 — 5 cleft, somewhat coloured. Corolla 0. 

 Stamens 8 — 10. Ovary 1-celled. Capsule 1-celled, with 2 beaks, 

 many- seeded." — Br. Fl. 



1. C. oppositifolium, L. Opposite -leaved Golden Saxifrage. 

 " Leaves opposite cordate-rotundate." — Br. Fl. p. 156. E. B. t. 

 490. 



Frequent in wet shady places, boguy thickets, alrler-swaraps, hy springs and 

 rivulets, on moist hedf{cbanks, dripping rocks, &c. Fl. March — May. If. 



E. Med. — Abundant in Shanklin chine, also by the bruuk-side below the 

 church, and elsewhere in that vicinity. Moist places near Appuldurconibe, Sec, 

 common. Wet alder-thickets by Alverston. In the dell below Apse castle. In 

 Hungerberry copse. In tbe Parsonage lynch, Newchurch, abundantly. Willow- 

 bed by Mersley or Messley farm. 



W. Med. — [By the side of the stream at Moortown bog, Brighstone, in great 

 plenty. Dr. Bell-Salter, Edrs.] 



Order XXXIV. UMBELLIFERJE, Juss. 



" Calyx adherent with the ovary, 5-toothed ; teeth minute, often 

 obsolete. Corolla of 5 petals, sometimes very unequal, the outer 

 ones the largest. _ Stamens 5, alternate with the petals, inserted 

 on the under side of a thick fleshy disk, at the base of the styles. 

 Styles 2. Achenes or carpels 2, combined, attached near the apex 

 to a central axis, usually separating when ripe. Seed solitary, 

 pendulous. Embryo minute, at the base of a horny albumen. — 

 Herbs. Leaves alternate, generally compound and embracing the 

 stem with their sheathing bases. Flowers in umbels." — -Br. Fl. 



T. Flowers capitate, on a scaly receptacle. 



I. Eryngium, Linn. Eryngo. 



" Fruit ovate, clothed with chaffy scales or bristles. Calyx- 

 teeth leafy. Petals erect, oblong, with long inflected points. 

 (Involucre of many leaves. Flowers in a compact head upon a 

 scaly receptacle)." — Br. Fl. 



The genus Erynuium recerles greatly in its characters from the other British 

 genera of the natural order Umhelliferse, by the capiiate flowers, inserted on a 

 fleshy receptacle and intermixed with paleae ; in the distinct and subulate calyx- 

 segnients; oblong, not rounded, anthers; erect, not spreading, corolla; and, 

 lastly, in the fruit, which is clothed with brisllts very unequal in size and posi- 

 tion, a prcilongatioii apparently of the recepticle, in which the corky carpels are 

 as it were imbedded. In these respects, as well as in fjener.il habit, Eryngium 

 seems to approach the DipsaceEC. The candied roots, considered restorative, and 

 within the author's memory sold by conleclioners, ihnunh now fallen into disuse, 

 made a very agreeable sweetmeat, greatly superior to the stems of Angelica, also 

 obsolete, but at that time familiar to juvenile palates with elecampane, candied 

 horehound, and similar preparations, not less relished for the admirable medicinal 

 virtues they were once held to possess. 



