﻿( 130 .) 



HERA'CLEUM* * 



Linnean Class and Order. Penta'nhria f, Digy'nia. 



Natural Order. Umbelli'ferae, Juss. Gen. PI. p. 218. — Sm. 

 Gram, of Bot. p. 132. — Lindl. Syn. p. 1 1 1 . Introd. to Nat. Syst. of 

 Bot. p. 4. — Rich, by Macgilliv. p. 463. — Loud. Hort. Brit. p. 517. 

 — Umbellate, Linn. — Rosales, subord. Angelicosas ; sect. 

 Angelicinas ; Burn. Outl. of Bot. pp. 614, 762, & 770. 



Gen. Char. Flowers incompletely separated ; the inner ones 

 barren, or abortive ; those of the circumference perfect and prolific. 

 Calyx superior, of 5 small, pointed teeth, obliterated in the fruit. 

 Corolla (fig. 1.) of 5, inversely heart-shaped petals, their points 

 inflexed ; in the innermost flowers the petals are smallest, nearly 

 equal and regular ; in those of the circumference much larger, ir- 

 regular and radiant, the outer one largest, with equal lobes, the rest 

 more or less unequally divided ; the 2 inner ones smallest, (see figs. 

 1,2,3.). Filaments (fig. 4.) 5, thread-shaped, longer than the 

 corolla, spreading, a little incurved. Anthers roundish. Germen 

 (figs. 4 & 5.) inferior, egg-shaped, slightly compressed transversely. 

 Styles (see fig. 4.) 2, at first upright, rather short, subsequently 

 flattened, spreading and somewhat elongated ; broad and pyramidal 

 at the base. Stigmas blunt, notched. Floral Receptacle (see fig. 5.) 

 undulated, crenate, obtuse, a little broader than the bases of the 

 styles to which it is united. Fruit (fig. 7.) inversely heart-shaped, 

 somewhat elliptical, compressed transversely, surrounded by a flat 

 dilated margin. Carpels ( seeds of Linn.y (figs. 6 & 8.) with very 

 slender ridges, 3 of them dorsal, equidistant, 2 lateral ones remote, 

 contiguous to the dilated margin. Channels ( interstices J with single 

 club-shaped vittce%. Seeds (fig. 10.) flattened. Universal involu- 

 crum deciduous ; partial, of many leaves . 



The 5-toothed calyx ; the inversely heart-shaped petals, inflexed 

 at the point, the outer often radiant and bifid ; the dorsally com- 

 pressed fruit with a flat dilated margin ; the carpels with very 

 slender ridges, the 3 dorsal ones equidistant, the 2 lateral ones re- 

 mote, and contiguous to the dilated margin ; the channels with single 

 club-shaped vittce ; and the flattened seed ; will distinguish this from 

 other genera in the same class and order. 



One species British. 



HERA'CLEUM SPHONDY'LIUM. Common Cow-parsnep. 

 Hog-weed. Madnep. 



Spec. Char. Leaves pinnate ; leaflets pinnatifid, cut and serrated. 



Fig. 1. Corolla. — Figs. 2 & 3. Petals. — Fig. 4. Germen, Stamens, and Pistils. 

 — Fig. 5. Germen, Pistils, and Floral Receptacle. — Fig. 6. The 2 Carpels, 

 which formed the fruit, separated, and suspended by the central, thread-shaped, 

 2-parted column. — Fig. 7. Fruit. — Fig. 8. A separate Carpel. — Fig. 9. Trans- 

 verse section of the Fruit. — F’ig. 10. A vertical section of the Seed to shew the 

 Embryo. — Fig. 11. The Embryo taken out, and slightly magnified. 



* Named after Hercules, who is said to have brought this, or some allied 

 plant, into use. Dr. Hooker. — Boiimer rather apprehends it to have been 

 named after Heraci.ides, the father of Hippocrates. Dr. Withering. 

 t See Anchusa semper virens, folio 48, note t- 

 t Receptacles of coloured oily matter, within the coal of the Carpels. 



