180 THE UMBELLATE FAMILY. [Cicutcu 



V. CICUTA. COWBANE. 



Leaves dissected. Umbels compound, without any general involucre, 

 or only 1 or 2 small bracts ; the partial involucre of many bracts. Calyx- 

 teeth prominent above the ovary. Petals white, obcordate. Fruit 

 short, laterally compressed ; each carpel nearly globular, with 5 scarcely 

 prominent, broad, flat ribs, and single vittas under the furrows. 



A genus of very few species, spread over the northern hemisphere ; 

 distinguished among the short-fruited Umbelliferce with single vittas 

 chiefly by the prominent teeth of the calyx. 



1. 6. virosa, Linn. (fig. 403). Cowbane, Water Hemlock. — Stem 

 hollow, somewhat branched, attaining 3 or 4 feet. Leaves twice or 

 thrice pinnate or ternate, with narrow-lanceolate, acute segments, 1 to 

 lj inches long, bordered with a few unequal acute teeth. General 

 umbels of from 10 to 15 or even more rays. Bracts of the partial 

 involucres subulate, not quite so long as the pedicels. 



In wet ditches and on the edges of lakes, in northern and central 

 Europe, Eussian Asia, and northern America, disappearing in southern 

 Europe. Very local in Britain, and never abundant, although occurring 

 in several counties of England, Ireland, and southern Scotland. Fl, 

 summer. 



VI. APIUM. APIUM. 



Leaves dissected. Umbels compound, mostly lateral and nearly 

 sessile, without any general involucre, or only 2 or 3 small bracts ; the 

 partial involucres of several bracts or none. Petals entire, white, with 

 a small inflected point ; fruit short, slightly compressed laterally, with- 

 out visible calycine teeth. Carpels ovoid, with 5 slender ribs, and 

 single vittas under the furrows ; the axis or carpophore free and entire, 

 and shortly split at the top. 



In the revision of Umbelliferce which has taken place since the early 

 editions of this Handbook, the genus Apium has been extended so as 

 to include Helosciadium, and is now a fairly natural genus, generally 

 spread over the greater part of the globe. 



No partial involucres. Leaves with 3 to 5 broad crenate or lobed 



segments 1. A. graveolens. 



Partial involucres or several bracts. 

 Leaves of several pairs of ovate or lanceolate toothed segments. 



Rays of the umbel about 5 or 6 2. A. nodiflorwrn* 



Leaf -segments few, usually lobed or divided. Rays of the umbel 

 about 3 or 4 3. A. inundatum. 



1. A. graveolens, Linn. (fig. 404). Celery. — In its wild state not a 

 stout plant ; quite glabrous ; 1 to 2 feet high. Leaves pinnate, with 3 

 or 5 distinct broad segments, crenate or 3-lobed, from 6 to 9 lines long, 

 the upper leaves very small. Umbels small, nearly sessile on the upper 

 branches, opposite the leaves, or on very short terminal peduncles seldom 

 2 lines above the last leaves ; divided into from 3 to 6 rays, and bearing 

 numerous small flowers, on short pedicels. Fruits very small, the 

 vittas often very indistinct. 



In marshy places near the sea, on the coasts of Europe, Africa, 

 western Asia, and America, but not in high northern latitudes. In 

 Britain it extends as far north as the middle counties of Scotland, and 

 is occasionally found inland, but then mostly escaped from cultivation. 



