316 



MEDICAL BOTANY. 



proves emetic. The root, which is the part that is officinal, is pungent, 

 bitter, and aromatic. 



Section 2. Amminea. — Fruit with primary ribs only, compressed laterally or didy- 

 mous. 



i#w# m a 



Cicuta.— Linn, 



Margin of calyx 5-toothed, teeth somewhat foliaceous. Petals obcordate, point in- 

 flexed. Fruit roundish, contracted laterally, didymous. Carpels with 5 flattish, equal 

 ribs, lateral ones marginal; intervals filled with single vittae. Commissure with 2 vittae. 

 Carpophore 2-parted. Seed terete. 



This genus is small, and consists of perennial, aquatic, glabrous herbs, 

 with terete, fistulous stems and tri-pinnately or tri-ternately-divided leaves. 

 The involucrum is wanting, or is few-leaved. The involucels are many- 

 leaved. The flowers are white in all the species. They are extremely poi- 

 sonous, and are known under the common name of Hemlock. 



C. maculata, Linn. — Root fasciculate. Stem streaked with purple. Leaves biter, 

 nately divided. Follicles lanceolate, mucronately serrate. Umbels terminal and axil- 

 lary. 



Linn., Sp. PI. 367; Torrey and Gray, Fl. i. 610; Bigelow, Med. Bot. 

 i. t. 12 ; Rafinesque, Med. Flor. i. 107. 



Common Names. — Water Hemlock, Spotted Cowbane, Beaver Poison, &c. 



Fi 154 Description. — Root pe- 



rennial, composed of se- 

 %|?^ veral oblong, fleshy tu- 



bers, about the size of the 

 finger. Stem from 3 to 

 8 feet high, hollow, joint- 

 ed, striated with green 

 and purple, or spotted, 

 sometimes entirely green. 

 The lower leaves are on 

 long petioles, the terminal 

 division quinate or pin- 

 nate,the segments more or 

 less lanceolate ; upper 

 leaves usually ternate, all 

 of them petiolate, w ith the 

 primary veins running 

 to the notches, and not 

 to the points of the ser- 

 ratures. Flowers white, 

 in terminal or axillary 

 umbels, without involu- 

 cres, rays of the umbels 

 long and slender. Invo- 

 lucels of five or six short 

 linear leaves. Calyx 

 connected with the ova- 

 ry, 5-toothed at margin. 

 The petals are five, ob- 

 ovate, white, entire, with 

 the point inflexed. The 

 stamens are longer than 

 the petals, with ovate an- 

 C. maculata. thers. The styles are 



two, short and recurved. 



