114 



NATURAL HISTORY OF PLANTS. 



Fcenieulum vulgare. 



correspond to so many lobes separated from each other by rather' 

 deep and vertical farrows. In Oolladonia, especially in those named 

 Meliocarpus, the transverse section of the carpels is pentagonal ; but, 

 further, the wings are prolonged inferiorly, towards the pedicel, in 

 vertical laminae more or less developed. Very generally the suberose 

 tissue of the mesocarp divides longitudinally into parts corresponding 

 in number to the primary ridges. All these plants are erect peren- 

 nial with decompound pinnate leaves, and the involucres and in- 

 volucels are formed of numerous bracts, often short. The fruit is 

 covered with down, rigid in those called Magydaris. This genus 

 grows in the Mediterranean region, in the Levant, in Asia Minor, 

 and in north-western' Africa, especially in the islands near the 

 coast. 



In Fosniculum or Fiennel (fig. 114), the oblong fruit with nearly- 

 round transverse section, resembles that of 

 Aneihum (with which it was formerly gene- 

 rically united) ; but it is much more elon- 

 gate, and the marginal ridges are much less 

 developed. The other primary ridges are 

 tolerably thick but short. The secondary 

 ridges are indicated each by a slightly 

 prominent vitta. These vittse are, more- 

 over, marked on th« furrows of the seed, the 

 face of which is flat or slightly concave. The 

 sepals are not developed, and the inflores- 

 cence is a compound umbel without involucre 

 or involucels. The Fennels are erect peren- 

 nial, or biennial herbs, very odorous, having 

 decompound pinnate leaves with linear 

 divisions, and entire or involute yellow 

 petals. 

 The Fennels connect such genera as Meum, Diplotcmia, and 

 (Enanthe with Seseli (fig. 115, 116), which has given its name to a 

 tribe (Seselinece). They have a tubular or ovoid receptacle, the 

 margin of which bears five tolerably developed subulate sepals, and 

 five equal, or nearly so, valvate or slightly imbricate petals, with 

 pointed and inflexed summit, inserted like the stamens, below the 

 sinuous or crenelate margin of the conical stylopod which encases 

 the base of the reflexed often capitate, stylary branches. The fruit 



rig. 114. Fruit (f). 



