ficoidea—Mesembryanthemum. 209 
1. M.crystallinwm. Ice Plant.—This very remarkable plant 
is a native of the South of Europe. It is a dwarf branching 
annual with alternate or opposite oblong-undulate sessile leaves 
which as well as the stem are covered with crystalline granules. 
The flowers are solitary and axillary, either pink or white, with 
a yellow centre. 
2. M. cordifolium.—tThis is a perennial species, and better 
known by the variegated form, which is in great request for 
bedding in Summer. The habit is dwarf and dense, with small 
cordate leaves and sessile purple flowers. South Africa. 
3. I. tricolor.—A pretty tender annual species, growing in 
dense tufts. Leaves long, linear, acute. Flowers pink and 
crimson with a dark eye, solitary, on long radical peduncles 
covered with small granular protuberances, South Africa, 
Orver LIV.—UMBELLIFERZE. 
Herbs or shrubs, rarely arborescent. Leaves usually much 
divided. Flowers very small, in compound or simple umbels, 
rarely capitate, with or without involucral bracts. Calyx 
superior, limb obsolete or 5-toothed. Petals 5, epigynous, the 
tips usually incurved. Stamens 5. Fruit of two indehiscent 1- 
seeded dorsally or laterally compressed carpels with longi- 
tudinal oil canals; seeds albuminous. This very numerous 
order offers little in the floral department, but a few are grown 
for their ornamental foliage or bracts. It furnishes us with 
many valuable esculents and aromatic spices and a few drugs, 
such as Carrot, Parsnip, Samphire, Anise, Caraway, Cummin, 
and Asafcetida, And there are some virulently poisonous, 
as Conium, Cicita, and @nanthe. There are 152 genera and 
about 1,300 species, chiefly from temperate regions. 
1. BUPLEURUM. 
Leaves simple and entire. Flowers yellowish, in compound 
umbels. Calyx-teeth none. Fruits laterally compressed. 
About sixty species of this genus are known, chiefly from the 
north temperate zone, a few reaching South Africa. The ety- 
mology of the name is uncertain. Most of the species are 
herbaceous or annual, but the only one that concerns us is 
shrubby. 
1. B. fruticdsum.—A smal) branching shrub with alternate 
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