WILD FLOWERS OF THE BRITISH ISLES 
Sulphur-wort, Sea Hog’s-Fennel. (Peucedanum officinale, Linn.) — As just 
described. Flowers minute, pale yellow, with equal petals, the clusters being large; about 3 
bracts surrounding the entire cluster, and falling quickly, those of each little flower cluster narrow 
and short ; the fruit broadly oval, much flattened, with 6 slender ridges, and the edges widened 
into a ring ; the stem 18 inches to 4 feet high, erect, round, solid, branching at the top ; and the 
leaves divided to the base into 3 leaflets, each leaflet being similarly divided 2, 3, or 4 times, the 
final leaflets being long and hair-like (3-5 trifoliate) ; the leaf-stalks sheathing at the base. 
Very rare. Salt marshes in Kent and Essex. July — September. Perennial. 
Milk Parsley, Marsh Hog’s-Fennel. (Peucedanum palustre, Moench.)— Flowers 
white, with many narrow, drooping bracts round all the clusters ; the fruit broadly oval, flattened, 
with 6 blunt ridges, and the edges widened into a wing. [As just described in the genus 
Peucedanum.] The stem 3-5 feet high, erect, furrowed, hollow, branched at the top, 
with a milky juice ; and the leaves divided to the midrib into several pairs of leaflets and 1 
terminal one, and sometimes again and again similarly sub-divided into narrow pointed leaflets 
(bi- or tri-imparipinnate) ; the leaf-stalks sheathing at the base. 
Rare, local. Marshes and fens in the south-east of England. July — August. Perennial. 
*MaSterWOrt. (Peucedanum Ostruthium, Koch.) — Flowers white, in large terminal 
clusters. Bracts o, surrounding the entire cluster, and a few small ones round each separate 
cluster. Fruit nearly round, much flattened, composed of 2 united, 1 -seeded cases, each with 3 
slender ridges, the united edges extended into a wing. [As just described in the genus 
Peucedanum.] The stem 18 inches to 3 feet high, stout, round, hollow, slightly branched; and 
the leaves divided to the base into 3 leaflets, which sometimes are again similarly divided, the 
leaflets being 3-lobed and toothed (tri-foliate or bi-trifoliate) ; the leaf-stalks sheathing at the base. 
Rare. An escape from cultivation. Moist meadows in the north of England and in Scotland. 
June — August. Perennial. 
Common Parsnip. (Peucedanum sativum, Benth. and Hook, fil.) — Flowers small, 
bright yellow. Bracts o ; fruit oval, flattened from back to front, with 6 ridges, the united edges 
extended into a wing. [As just described in the genus Peucedanum.] Stem 1-5 feet high, erect, 
solid, furrowed, slightly branched, rough and hairy ; and the leaves divided to the midrib into 
several pairs of egg-shaped, toothed, and sometimes lobed leaflets and 1 terminal one (impari- 
pinnate) ; the leaf-stalks sheathing at the base. \Plate 58. 
Common locally. Waysides, w r aste places, and pastures, abundant in chalky districts. July — 
August. Biennial. 
COW-PARSNIP. (HERACLEUM, LINN.) — Flowers white or pinkish, in clusters of shortly- 
stalked flowers, the outer petals being larger, all rising from the same point on longer stalks, 
which longer stalks have one common starting-point on the main flowering-stalk (compound 
umbels). Bracts few or o. Calyx with 5 teeth ; petals 5, unequal, with the tip bent inwards, 
apparently notched ; stamens 5 ; carpels 2. Fruit oval or round, composed of 2 united, 3-ridged 
cases, flattened from back to back, the united edges extended into a wing, each case containing 
1 hanging seed (cremocarp). Large herbs with divided leaves and leaf-stalks sheathing at 
the base. 
Common Cow-Parsnip, Hog-Weed. (Heraeleum Sphondylium, Linn.)— The only 
British species (as just described). With large clusters of flowers varying from greenish- to 
pinky-white ; a few bracts round the entire cluster and many round each little flow T er cluster ; 
stout stems 18 inches to 6 feet high, hollow, furrowed, branched at the top; and leaves divided 
