BRITISH WILD FLOWERS. 
163 
GENUS IX. 
HOG’S FENNEL. (Peucedanum, I An.) 
Lin. Sijst. PENTANDRIA DIGYNIA. 
Generic Character. — Calyx slightly five-toothed, sometimes 
obsolete. Petals obovate, emarginate, or nearly entire, contracted 
into an inflexed segment. Fruit flattened at the back, surrounded by 
a flat dilated margin. Carpella with equidistant ridges; the three 
middle filiform, the two lateral more obsolete, contiguous to the 
dilated margin, or confounded with it. Seed flat in front. Channels 
with from one to three vittae.—Universal involuerum various; partial 
many-leaved. Flowers small, yellow or white. {Lindley .) 
Description, &c. —The plants belonging to this genus differ so much from each other, that I think it will 
be best to describe them separately. The name of Peucedanum signifies a dwarf Pine, and it is applied to this 
genus because one of the species has not only leaves like those of the Scotch Pine, but it sometimes produces a 
kind of resin greatly resembling that which exudes from the Pine tribe. 
1.—THE SEA HOG’S FENNEL, OR SEA SULPHUR-WORT. (Peucedanum officinale, Lin.) 
Engravings.—E ng. Bot., t. 1767 ; 2nd ed., t. 416 ; and our Jig. 4, I Specific Character. —Leaves five times deeply three-cleft; leaflets 
in PL 38. I linear, undivided, flat. Bracteas linear, almost capillary. {Smith.) 
Description, &c. —This is a very curious plant ; and it gives the genus botli its English and its botanical 
name. The leaves are so finely divided as to resemble Fennel, as w T ell as the leaves of the Pine tribe; and the 
root when wounded yields a resinous substance like turpentine. The whole plant smells strongly of brimstone ; 
and it is only found in salt marshes near the sea in Sussex, Essex, and Kent. It is a perennial, and produces 
its flowers from July to September. It grows to the height of about three or four feet. 
2.— THE GREAT MASTE11WORT. (Peucedanum Ostruthium, Koch.) 
Synonyme. —Imperatoria Ostruthium, Lin. j Specific Character. —Leaves twice ternate, undivided or three- 
Engravings. —Eng. Bot., t. 1380 ; 2nd ed., t. 418. ! lobed, rough-edged. Flower-stalks alternate. {Smith.) 
Description, & c.— This plant is quite unlike the previous species ; the leaflets being broadly ovate and the 
petioles of the leaves very much dilated, so as to form very broad and long sheaths to the stem. The root, which 
is tuberous and has an aromatic smell, was highly esteemed by the old herbalists as a remedy for almost every 
disorder ; and hence it takes its English name of Masterwort. The whole plant was formerly cultivated in 
British gardens as a potherb, but it has long fallen into disuse. 
3.— THE MILK PARSLEY. (Peucedanum palustre, Moench.) 
Synonymes. —Thysselinum palustre, Tourn. ; T. Plinii, Spreng. ; 
Selinum palustre, Lin. ; Marsh Hog’s Fennel. 
Engravings. —Eng. Bot., t. 229 ; 2nd ed., t. 417. 
Specific Character. — Milky. Root generally single. Leaves 
triply pinnate; leaflets pinnatifid, with elliptic-lanceolate segments. 
Rays of the umbel rough. Ridges of the fruit broad and obtuse. 
{Smith.) 
Description, &c. —This species is more abundant than either of the others ; and it is a perennial, closely 
resembling the Parsley, but frequently growing to the height of three or four feet. It flowers in July ; and if 
the flowers or leaves are gathered, a thick, acrid, milky juice issues from the wound, which has a very 
disagreeable smell, and which when dry resembles brown resin. The root is said to have been formerly used, 
when dry, as a substitute for ginger. 
