162 
BRITISH WILD FLOWERS. 
GENUS VI. 
THE GREAT HART- WORT. (Tordylium, Lin.) 
Lin. Syst. PENTANDRIA DIGYNIA. 
Generic Character. —Calyx five-toothed. Petals obovate, emar- 
ginate, inflexed ; the exterior radiant and bifid. Fruit compressed from 
the back, surrounded by an accessory thickened warted margin. Carpella 
with extremely obscure ridges; the three dorsal equidistant, the two 
lateral contiguous to the thickened margin, or even covered over by it. 
Channels with single filiform vittse. Seed flat.—Involucrum both 
universal and partial, of many leaves. Flowers white. ( Lindley .) 
Description, &c. —There is only one British species in this genus, T. maximum , Lin. It is an annua], 
with insignificant flowers, which appear in June and July. The name of Tordylium is said to be derived from 
the Greek word for a turning-lathe, in allusion to the shape of the seed-vessels, which look as if they had been 
turned in a lathe. 
GENUS VII. 
THE PARSNEP. (Pastinaca, Lin.) 
Lin. Syst. PENTANDRIA DIGYNIA. 
Generic Character. —Calyx almost obsolete. Petals roundish, 
entire, involute, with a broad, inflexed, blunt middle segment. Fruit 
flattened at the back, surrounded by a dilated flat margin. Carpella 
with very fine ridges; the three dorsal equidistant, the two lateral con¬ 
tiguous to the dilated margin. Channels with single vittae. Seed 
flattened.—Involucrum neither universal nor partial, or with very few 
leaves. Flowers yellow. {Lindley.) 
Description, &c.— There is only one species in this genus, viz. the common wild Parsnep (P. saliva, 
Lin.) ; and it is one of those plants which have been most wonderfully improved by cultivation, as the fusiform 
root of the wild Parsnep is not only slender, but it is tough and without any of that sweetness which so particu¬ 
larly distinguishes the cultivated Parsnep. The wild plant is a biennial, and it produces its yellow flowers in 
July. The name of Pastinaca is derived from pastas, food. 
GENUS VIII. 
THE COW-PARSNEP. (Heracleum, Lin.) 
Lin. Syst. PENTANDRIA DIGYNIA. 
tiguous to the dilated margin. Channels with single clavate vittfe. 
Seed flattened.— Universal involucrum deciduous; partial manv- 
leaved. Flowers large, white. {Lindley.) 
Generic Character. —Calyx five-toothed. Petals obovate, emar- 
ginate, inflexed ; the outer often radiant and bifid. Fruit flattened at 
the back, surrounded by a flat dilated margin. Carpella with very 
minute ridges; the three dorsal equidistant, the two lateral con- 
Description, &c. —The common Cow-Parsnep ( H. Sphondylium, Lin.), though somewhat coarse-looking, 
is yet a stately plant, from its large upright stem, which often grows to the height of five or six feet, and its 
broad widely spreading leaves. It is very common in almost every part of England ; generally growing in the 
hedges of fields, or by the road-side. It is a biennial, and produces its large white flowers in June and July. 
It takes its English name from the circumstance of cows being remarkably fond of it; and its botanic name, 
which is derived from Hercules, probably alludes to the strong and vigorous growth of the plant. 
