Descriptive Flora 



155 



of a pin head in the middle of each. Fruits strongly 2-lobed, 

 broader than long. Sometimes confused with ChaerophylTum 

 but differs in the strongly ribbed and never hairy stems, glabrous 

 and darker green foliage, flowers at least 4 times as large across 

 (these 3/16 to the smaller clusters always united by long 



stalks into a larger cluster, and the short, broad, strongly 2-lobed 

 seed cases. Begins to blossom later than Chaerophyllum. April 

 to July. Widespread. 



Ptilimnium laciniatum (Engelm. & Gray) Kuntze. 



July Lace-flower. 



Late blossoming plants, 1 to 3 feet tall, with a ' i carrot " 

 odor and small white 5-petaled flowers clustered in flat-topped, 

 compound umbels 1 to 2%" across, at the ends of the compara- 

 tively few, deep green, grooved branches. Leaves once or twice 

 pinnately compound, the upper clasping, the lower petioled. 

 Leaflets mostly wedge-shaped, the segments few. Rays of the 

 umbel 5 to 10, y 2 to 1" long. Petals broadest above the middle, 

 about 1/12" across, notched and inflexed at the top. Fruits 

 longer than broad, flattened, strongly ribbed. 



Plant resembles Ptilimnium nuttallii in general appearance 

 but blossoms later (June, July and August), has broader leaf- 

 lets, fruits are not so deeply 2-lobed, stems simple at the base, tap 

 root prominent, and plant as a whole, taller and not as spread- 

 ing. 



Ptilimnium capillaceum (Michx.) Hollick. Bishop Weed 



(Discopleuna mpillacea DC.) 



A feathery, fernlike plant, 8 to 16 inches high, similar to 

 Chervil but having smooth stems and much smaller, greenish 

 flowers. Leaves pinnately compound, alternate. Leaflets finely 

 dissected, the segments slender and narrow (Chaerophyllum has 

 broader segments). Flowers minute, white, in clusters, these 

 clusters united into still larger clusters. Petals 5, minute, deeply 

 notched at apex. Seed-cases 2-lobed, fruits somewhat flattened, 



