WILD CICELY. 



41 



roots may be split and destroyed by pushing salt down the 

 incisions. 



3. The " Wild cicely, or wild chervil, cow weed," or the 

 " Chserophyllum " of botany, is a common weed in orchards 

 and pastm^es. The plant belongs to the class and order 

 " Pentandria digynia" of Linneus, and to the natural order 

 " UmbeUiferse " of Jussieu. 



Generic character. — Calyx, umbel universal, spreading, 

 partial, nearly equal in the number of its rays. Involucre 

 universal, generally none, partial, five-leaved, or more- 

 Leaflets lanceolate, concave, reflexed, about the length of the 

 partial umbel. Perianth proper, scarcely discernible. Corolla 

 universal, nearly uniform. Florets of the disk often abortive. 

 Proper petals five, inflexed, heart-shaped, with an inflexed 

 point, flattish, outer ones a little larger. Stamina : filaments 

 five, simple, the length of the little umbel ; anthers roundish. 

 Pistil : germen inferior ; styles two, reflexed ; stigmas ob- 

 tuse. Pericarp none. Fruit oblong, acuminate, even, divisi- 

 ble into two. Seeds two, oblong, attenuated upwards, con- 

 vex on one side, flat on the other. 



Essential character. — Involucre reflexed, concave. Petals 

 inflexed, heart-shaped. Fruit oblong, even. 



The Chserophyllum sylvestre," or the " Smooth cow 

 parsley," has the stem striated, sHghtly swelling below the 

 joints. Root perennial, spindle-shaped, slightly milky, but 

 little branched. Stem about three feet high, erect, branched, 

 leafy, round, downy towards the bottom, almost always void 

 of pubescence above. Leaves triply pinnated, deeply cut, 

 rough at the edge ; petioles short, dilated, ribbed. Flowers 

 whitish ; umbels erect, terminal. Leaves of the partial in- 

 volucre egg-shaped, membranous, fringed with thick-set 

 white hairs,' petals more or less emarginate, rarely entire. 

 Fruit oblong, somewhat elliptical, roundish, very slightly 

 striated, quite smooth. Flowers in April and May, and grows 

 very common in meadows and pastures in most parts of 

 Europe, and always indicates a luxuriant soil. Grazing 

 animals are indifferently fond of eating it. It flowers and 

 ripens the seeds before any of the proper grasses. 



