ilium minus, Gray’s Nat. Arr. v. ii. p. 514. — Bunium majus, Gouan. Illustr. p. 
10. — Willd. Sp. PI. v. i. pt. ii. p. 1391. — Bulbocastanon minus , Johns. Gerarde, 
p. 1064. — Banh. Pin. p. 162. — Bulbocastanum, Ray’s Syn. p. 209. — Conopodium 
flexuosum , Lind. Syn. p. 121. — Hook. Brit. FI. p. 126. — Mack. FI. Hibern. p. 121. 
Localities. — In grassy pastures, on heaths, and in woods, especially on a 
gravelly soil ; common. 
Perennial. — Flowers in May and June. 
Root a solitary, globose, or somewhat irregularly-shaped, tuber ; 
of a chestnut-colour outside, white within, solid, producing from the 
sides and lower part a few slender fibres. Stem from one to two 
feet high, solitary, upright, roundish, striated, smooth ; tapering, 
zigzag, and whitish at the base, to a greater or less extent under 
ground ; sometimes, though rarely, it is straight and short in that 
part, when the root happens to be very shallow in the ground. 
Leaves with long, very narrow, pointed, entire segments; those 
from the root twice or thrice pinnatifid, on long, slender foot-stalks, 
tapering and zigzag under ground ; those on the stem twice or 
thrice ternate, scattered, nearly sessile, clasping the stem with their 
smooth, striated sheath, which is membranous and whitish at the 
margins. Umbels several, terminal, drooping before the flowers 
open, afterwards upright ; of 7, or more, smooth, slender, straight, 
stiff 1 rays ; those of the partial umbels still more numerous. General 
Involucrum of from 1 to 3 leaves, often entirely wanting ; partial 
one of several leaves. Flowers white, all regular, or very nearly 
so, and all perfect, though some of the central ones bear no seed. 
Calyx mostly wanting, or obsolete ; sometimes of 2 or 3 short, 
sharp, spreading, permanent teeth. Fruit oblong, moderately rib- 
bed, a little narrower upwards, and terminated with the straight 
styles, which have conical, very tumid, bases. 
The roots of this plant are aromatic, sweet, and mucilaginous, with some acri- 
mony. They are frequently dug up and eaten by children. Shakspearb, in his 
“ Tempest,” makes Caliban say — 
“ I pr’ythee, let me bring thee where crabs grow ; 
And I with my long nails will dig thee pig -nuts ; 
Shew thee a jay’s nest, and instruct thee how 
To snare the nimble marmoset, ” &c. 
Swine are very fond of these roots, and will soon become fat with 
feeding on them ; and it is to procure these roots that pigs root up 
the earth in pastures, &c. 
Ray, in “ The Wisdom of God manifested in the Works of the 
Creation,” says, “ I have myself observed, that in pastures where 
there are earth-nuts to be found up and down in several patches, 
tho’ the roots lie deep in the ground, and the stalks be dead long 
before and quite gone, the swine will by their scent easily find them 
out, and root only in those places where they grow.” This is, as 
Dr. Withering observes, “ a singular and instructive example of 
the instinct with which the Creator has provided animals, in order 
to supply their wants.” — When boiled, these roots are very pleasant 
and delicious, and are supposed to afford great nourishment. Thus 
prepared, they are said to be eaten in Holland and the Alps, and in 
some parts of England in soup or broth. Roasted they are even 
superior to chestnuts. In Sweden they are an article of commerce. 
The true Bunium bulbocodium is a very different plant from 
ours, and has never been found wild in Britain. 
