182 THE UMBELLATE FAMILY. [Apiwm. 
2. &. nodiflorum, Reichb. (fig. 403). Procumbent Apium.—Stems — 
perennial, creeping and rooting at the base, the annual flowering branches 
ascending or nearly erect; attaining several feet in some situations, but 
usually very much shorter, the whole plant glabrous. Leaves with 3 or 10 
or more pairs of ovate or lanceolate toothed segments. Umbels nearly sessile 7 
or on short peduncles, either opposite to the leaves or between the upper 
branches, each with 5 or 6, or rarely as many as 8 or as few as 4 rays. 
General involucre usually wanting, but sometimes consisting of 3 or 4 — 
narrow-lanceolate bracts ; partial involucre of several small, lanceolate bracts. 
Helosciadium nodiflorum, Reichb. 
In marshy meadows and wet ditches, in western and southern Europe; 
scarcely eastward of the Rhine in central Europe, but extends nearly all 
round the Mediterranean, Abundant in England, Ireland, and southern 
Scotland. #7. summer. It varies much in size and foliage; when very 
luxuriant the leaf-segments are numerous, narrow, from 1 to 1% inches 
long; in half dried-up open ditches the plant is small, much branched, 
with 3 to 5 small, broad segments; it then also creeps much more, has 
the peduncles rather longer, and has been considered as a distinct species 
under the name of S. repens, but both forms may be occasionally found 
proceeding from the same stock. 
3. 4. inundatum, Reichb. (fig. 404). Lesser Apium.—A glabrous 
plant, creeping and rooting at the base like the last, but much smaller and 
more slender, and often half immersed in water, when the submerged leaves 
are divided into capillary segments. Flowering stems 6 to 8 inches high, 
with small ternate or pinnate leaves; the segments 3-toothed or 3-lobed, 
each lobe again often 3-toothed. Umbels on short peduncles opposite the 
leaves, as in A. nodiflorum, but generally of 2 or 3 rays only, without in- 
volucre ; the partial umbels of 5 or 6 small flowers, with 2 or 3 minute bracts. 
Helosciadium inundatum, Koch. 
In swamps, shallow ponds and pools, or half-dried mud, chiefly in western 
and central Europe, extending northwards into southern Sweden, eastwards 
almost to the Asiatic frontier, but rare in the south. Generally dispersed 
over Britain, but easily overlooked, and consequently supposed to be more 
rare than is the fact. £7. swmmer. 
VII. SISON. SISON. 
Leaves dissected. Umbels compound, with general and partial involucres. 
Petals broad, deeply notched, with an inflected point. Fruit of Apium, 
except that the axis or carpophore is deeply cleft, as in Carwm, and the 
vittas are slightly thickened at the lower end. 
A single species, formerly considered as a congener of Carum segetum. 
1, S. Amomum, Linn. (fig. 405). Hedge Sison, Bastard Stone Parsley. 
—An erect, glabrous annual or biennial, 2 feet high or rather more, with 
numerous stiff, slender branches in the upper part. Lcaves pinnate; the 
seements of the lower ones ovate or oblong, often an inch long, toothed or 
lobed, or the lower pair again pinnate; the upper leaves much smaller, with — 
small, narrow segments, deeply 3-lobed, toothed or entire. Umbels on 
slender peduncles, of 3 to 5 rays, with but few white flowers on short 
pedicels. Involucres of very few, linear bracts, those of the partial umbels 
Kam 
