FOXTON-FIRBY : NOTES ON FIELD BOTANY. 



153 



King of Sicily, and our word " loosestrife " is simply a translation of the old 

 Greek name. It originated in the absurd idea entertained by the ancients 

 that, when these plants were put on the yokes of restive oxen, these animals, 

 became gentle and submissive. Here, also, towards the end of summer, the 

 lofty-growing Water Parsnep, Shun angustifoUum, spreads above the encircling- 

 foliage its large pinnated leaves, and long flat umbels of white flowers, a 

 mode of inflorescence which distinguishes tho umbelliferous tribe to whicli 

 the plants belongs, and readily fixes its charactcfcristics on our remembrance, 

 though the families of the order are by no means so easily ascertained. The 

 upper part of the flower-stem branches into a number of rays resembling those 

 of an umbrella, each of which supports a smaller set, w^liich form the pedicles^ 

 of the flowers ; this is called a compound umbel, and with two exceptions, the 

 Sea Holly and the common Marsh Pennywort, Hydrocotyle vulgaris, all the 

 British plants of the order have compound umbels. The leaves of the 

 greatest number are divided, and the flowers, like those of the ISTarrow-leaved 

 Water Parsnep, generally white. Many of the plants in this order are usefid 

 vegetables ; others abound in wholesome aromatic oils ; some are valuable 

 medicinally ; and even the poisonous ones, of which there are several, when 

 properly administered afford remedial and therapeutic qualities. 



The most dangerous of the tribe of umbelliferous plants, the true 

 Hemlock, Conium maculatum, is easily recognized by its large dark -green, 

 elegantly cut leaves and smooth stem, spotted with leopard-like spots of 

 purple. But while we are descanting at such length on the Umhelliferce, we 

 are forgetting the beautiful " Meadow-sweet," Spircea Ulmaria, whose feathery 

 tufts of cymose flowers, scented, and of a creamy whiteness, undulate, and 

 meet and mingle with the gentlest breath of summer air that wanders by 

 them. Its odour is very fragrant, but in a close apartment it becomes 

 injurious from its evolving prussic [acid. Mr. Piesse, in his Art of 

 Perfumery, tells us that it yelds in distillation a sweet-smelling attar, which 

 is not, however, made use of by perfumers. 



As yet we have not exhausted half the floral dwellers on the river's 

 bank. The golden cups of Marsh-marigold, CaWia jMlustris, glitter above its 

 heart-shaped dark glossy green leaves, in exquisite contrast with the 

 turqnoise-hue of the great Water Scorpion Grass or " Forget-me-not," 

 Myosotis vahistris, around which certain sentimental associations are lastingly 

 entwined. The flowers of this plant grow in unilateral, leafless clusters, and 

 may be distinguished by the yellow eye and small white ray at the base of each 

 lobe of the corolla. This charming little flower belongs to the Borage -tribe, 



iVo. 59, MarcJi 1. l 



