Flora Medica

APIACEM OR UMBELLIFER^E.Shady rocks in the south of Europe and the Levant. (Parstey-)A biennial, or perennial if not allowed to flower, quite smooth, of abright but rather pale green. Stem 1^-2 feet high, striated, round, agood deal branched in rather a corymbose manner. Radical leavesbiternate, on long channelled stalks ; leaflets rhomboidal-ovate, wedgeshapedat the base, deeply incised, with the segments mucronate, andsometimes rounded. Upper leaves gradually becoming more entireand narrower, till the uppermost are simply ternate with linear segments.Umbels with 5-8 rays. General involucre none, or 1-2 subulateminute bracts; partial involucre with setaceous bracts, much shorterthan the pedicels, erect, forming a perfect whorl. Flowers white, orgreenish. Fruit about a line long, compressed, pale greenish brown ;the back occupied by 3 elevated, pale primary ridges, the 2 others quiteon the margin at the side. The leaves are a pleasant stimulatingsalad ; they are diuretic, and are at once recognised by their agreeablesmell. Burnett says the fruit is a deadly poison to parrots.PTYCHOTIS.Calyx a 5-toothed margin. Petals obovate, bifid, emarginate,emitting from the middle a lobe with a transverse streak. Fruitcompressed from the side, ovate or oblong. Half-fruits with 5filiform equal ridges, of which the laterals form the border;channels with 1 vitta. Annuals or biennials. Cauline leavesmultifid, capillary. Umbels compound; universal involucrevariable, partial of more bracts than one. Flowers white.74. P. coptica DC. prodr. iv. 108. Ammi copticumLinn, mantiss. 56. Jacq. hort. vind. ii. t. 196. Egypt andCandia.Stem erect, branched. Leaves almost all cut into linear multifidsegments ; the upper simply pinnatifid. Umbel with 10-12 rays.Bracts of the involucels linear. Fruit ovate, slightly muricate.75. P. Ajowan DC. prodr. iv. 109. Ligusticum Ajowan Flem.in As. res. xi. 170. Roxb.fl. ind. ii. 91. Cultivated in India.Root annual. Stem erect, 1 to 3 feet high branches ; alternate,smooth, slightly striated. Leaves scattered, those nearest the rootsupra-decompound, the upper less so all with filiform ;subdivisions.Umbels terminal, erect, compound, of from 6 to 8 rays, on rather unequalpeduncles ; partial, of many rays, on unequal pedicels. Involucresboth universal, and partial, of from 5 to 8, linear, unequal, bractsshorter than the umbels. Petals pure white, equal, furrowed on theback, and keeled within, with involute points, and broad waved, ratherreflexed margins. Fruit didymous, compressed, broad, ovate, with fivescabrous ridges on each side. The fruit has an aromatic smell, andwarm pungent taste. One of the most useful and grateful of the umbelliferoustribe. An excellent remedy in flatulent colic. Much used inIndia. Roxb.76. P. sylvestris, or arub ajwain, is an Indian carminative.Royle.36