Rannoch, in Perthshire; also in the Isle of Rum, on a mountain called Baikevall: Rev. J. LIGHTFOOT.-On Glenmore, Ross-shire; Ben Grihum, Sutherland; and Bidan-nam-bian in Glencoe: WITHERING.-In a bog at the back of Invercauld House, Aberdeenshire, abundant, and with an uncommon luxuriance. Also on several hills about Invercauld, and on the moun'ains of Breadalbane: Mr. BROWN.-On the summit of the Clova mountains, Forfarshire : Mr. Don.

Perennial.-Flowers in July and August.

Root somewhat woody, with many long, zigzag, whitish fibres. Stem solitary, nearly leafless, from 4 to 6 inches high, upright, simple, cylindrical, quite smooth. Leaves almost wholly radical, about 2 inches long, in tufts, sword-shaped, equitant, ribbed, incurved at the point. Spike terminal, solitary, oblong, blunt. Flowers very small, yellowish or greenish-white. Calyx (fig. 1.) very small, 3-cleft, with a minute bractea at its base. Petals (f. 2.) inversely egg-shaped, blunt, concave, a little longer than the stamens. Germens united at the base. Styles short, spreading. Stigmas abrupt, slightly capitate. Capsules (figs. 4 & 5.) converging, each crowned by the permanent style. Seeds numerous, egg-shaped, tawny-coloured.

The drawing for the accompanying plate was made from a plant which has for many years, probably ever since the time of DILLENIUS, been cultivated in the Oxford Garden as the Tofieldia palustris, and specimens of the same are preserved in the Sherardian Herbarium, and labelled, in Dr. J. SIBTHORP's handwriting, T. palustris, Huds.; Anthericum calyculatum, Linn.; from this I considered it to be the same as the British species, native specimens of which I have not seen; but, since the whole impression of the annexed plate was struck off, and coloured, I have read Sir JAMES E. SMITH'S paper on the Genus Tofieldia, in the 12th vol. of Tr. of the Linn. Soc.; and I am inclined to think that the plant which I have figured is the T. alpina of Sir JAMES; T. palustris of DE CANDOLLE; a plant which, previous to the publication of Sir JAMES'S paper, was considered as a variety of the British species, whose greater luxuriance, or more dilated habit, was attributed to its situation in a more favourable climate. The principal differences, as pointed out by Sir J. E. SMITH, are as follows:-In T. palustris, the flowers are produced in an egg-shaped or oblong spike or head, and are sessile *; and the stem has frequently one leaf at its base. In T. alpina, every part of the plant is twice as large; the flowers form a cylindrical cluster, from 1 to 2 inches long, each flower having a short, thick, partial stalk, accompanied by a small, solitary bractea, at its base; and the stem is furnished with two leaves, the uppermost of which is the smallest. Sir J. E. SMITH observes, that" notwithstanding what is said in Gerarde's flerbal (p. 96.), there is no authority for this ever having been found in Britain."

The Natural Order MELANTHACEA, is composed of monocotyledonous, herbaceous plants, whose roots are fibrous, sometimes fascicled, rarely bulbous. Their flowers either rise immediately from the root, or are produced in panicles on tall leafy stems, or in spikes or racemes upon naked scapes. The perianth (fig. 2.) is inferior, petaloid, in 6 pieces, or, in consequence of the union of their claws, tubular; the pieces or segments generally involute in the bud. The stamens (f.3.) are 6 in number, with their anthers mostly turned outwards. The ovary is 3-celled, and many-seeded; the style trifid or 3-parted; and the stigmas undivided. The capsule (f. 4.) is often divisible into 3 pieces; sometimes with the valves bearing the dissepiment in the middle. The seeds have a membranous testa; and a dense, fleshy albumen. See Lindl. Syn.

*The figures in Linn. Fl. Lapp.; and Lightf. Fl. Scot.; which are quoted by Sir J. E. SMITH, as belonging to T. palustris, have the flowers, not sessile, but on slender partial stalks; and the figure in Engl. Bot. also represents it as having the flowers somewhat pedunculate.

ANTHRI'SCUS*.

Linnean Class and Order. PENTA'NDRIA†, DIGY'NIA.

Natural Order. UMBELLI'FERÆ, Juss. Gen. Pl. p. 218.-Sm. Gram. of Bot. p. 132.-Lindl. Syn. p. 111.; Introd. to Nat. Syst. of Bot. p. 4.-Rich. by Macgilliv. p. 463.-Loud. Hort. Brit. p. 517.Don's Gen. Syst. of Gard. and Bot. v. iii. p. 235.—UMBELLATÆ, Linn.-ROSALES; sect. ANGELICINE; type, SMYRNIACEÆ; subt. SCANDICIDE ; Burn. Outl. of Bot. v. ii. pp. 614, 770, 780, & 781.

GEN. CHAR. Calyx an obsolete margin. Corolla (fig. 1.) superior, of 5, inversely egg-shaped, truncate, or emarginate, inflexed, often very short, petals. Filaments (see fig. 1.) 5, thread-shaped, spreading, about as long as the petals. Anthers roundish. Germen (fig. 2.) inferior, oblong, slightly compressed. Styles (see fig. 2.) short, awl-shaped, a little spreading. Stigmas simple. Fruit (see fig. 2.) contracted on the side, beaked. Carpella (seed of Linn.) (see figs. 4 & 5.) almost taper, without ridges, the beak alone having 5 ridges. Seed taper, deeply furrowed in front. Universal involucrum none. Partial involucrum (see fig. 3.) of many leaves.

Distinguished from other genera, in the same class and order, by the obsolete calyx; the inversely egg-shaped petals, with an inflexed, generally short, point; the beaked fruit, contracted at the side; the almost taper carpels, destitute of ribs, except the beak, which is 5-ribbed; and the taper seed, deeply furrowed in front. Three species British.

ANTHRI'SCUS SYLVE'STRIS. Wild Beaked-Parsley. Wild Chervil. Smooth Cow-Parsley. Cow-Weed.

SPEC. CHAR. Umbels terminal, stalked. Leaflets of the involucels egg-shaped, membranous. Leaves triply pinnate; leaflets egg-shaped, pinnatifid, rough-edged.

Hoffmann's Plant. Umbel. 40-46. t. i. f. 19. p. 210. t. 1. B. f. 17. fide DON.Lindl. Syn. p. 124.-Hook. Brit. Fl. p. 131.-Don's Gen. Syst. of Gard. and Bot. v. iii. p. 364.-Bab. Fl. Bath. p. 21.-Mack. Fl. Hibern. pt. 1. p. 125.Charophyllum sylvestre, Engl. Bot. t. 752.-Curt. Fl. Lond. t. 273.-Mart. Fl. Rust. t. 96.-Jacq. Fl. Austr. t. 149.-Linn. Sp. Pl. p. 369.-Willd. Sp. Pl. v. i. pt. 1. p. 1452.-Huds. Fl. Angl. (2nd ed.) p. 124.-Sm. Fl. Brit. v. i. p. 326. Engl. Fl. v. ii. p. 48.-With. (7th ed.) v. ii. p. 388.-Lightf. Fl. Scot. v. i. p. 167.-Sibth. Fl. Oxon. p. 100.-Abbot's Fl. Bedf. p. 66.-Davies' Welsh Bot. p. 29.-Purt. Midl. Fl. v. i. p. 154.-Relh. Fl. Cant. (3rd edit.) p. 123.Hook. Fl. Scot. p. 93.-Grev. Fl. Edin. p. 68.-Fl. Devon. pp. 52 & 167.Johnst, Fl. of Berwick, p. 68.-Winch's Fl. of Northumb. & Durham, p. 18.Walker's Fl. of Oxf. p. 76.-Mack. Catal. of Plants of Irel. p. 29.-Cerefólium sylvestre, Gray's Nat. Arr. v. ii. p. 501.-Cicutária vulgaris, Ray's Syn. p. 207.-Cicutária alba, Johnson's Gerarde, p. 1038. n. 6.

LOCALITIES.-In hedges, and the borders of pastures, and fields, in a rather fertile soil. Very common.

Fig. 1. A separate Flower.-Fig. 2. Germen, Styles, and Stigmas.—Fig. 3. An Umbellule, showing the fruit, and the partial involucrum.-Fig. 4. The two Carpels which formed the fruit, separated, and suspended by the central, threadshaped column.-Fig. 5. A separate Carpel.-Fig. 6. A transverse section of the same.-All a little magnified.

* A name given by PLINY to a plant resembling Scandix. DoN.
↑ See Anchusa sempervirens, folio 48, note †.

Perennial. Flowers in April, May, and June.

Root spindle-shaped, branched, somewhat milky. Stem upright, branched, 3 or 4 feet high, leafy, round, striated, hollow, somewhat swelled below the joints, especially when full grown; the lower part downy; the upper part sleek, and generally devoid of pubescence. Leaves large, thrice pinnate, leaflets egg-spear-shaped, deeply cut, the terminating one attenuate, especially in the upper leaves, rough at the margin. Umbels smooth, flattish, rather small for the size of the plant, drooping more or less when young, quite upright when in flower and fruit, many-rayed, on long, generally smooth, peduncles. Partial involucrums of about 5, egg-shaped, membranous, fringed, reflexed leaves (bracteas). Flowers white or reddish; the marginal ones only prolific; petals flat, inversely egg-shaped, those of the central flowers nearly equal, but the outermost of the outer ones largest, and somewhat inversely heart-shaped (see fig. 1). Filaments whitish, short, and deciduous. Anthers yellowish. Germen (fig. 2.) broadest at top, flattish on both sides, shining. Fruit (see fig 3.) spear-shaped, with a deep channel on each side, blackish, polished, quite smooth and even, with a short, angular, furrowed beak. Bases of the styles almost globular, seated on a scarcely discernible floral receptacle.

The snow-white flowers, some of the earliest of their tribe, plentifully adorn the hedges and bushy margins of fields in Spring, and announce the approach of Summer. The whole herb has the flavour of carrots, and is said to be very grateful to rabbits. In some parts of the kingdom, in times of scarcity the young leaves are used as a pot-herb, but the roots are reported to be poisonous. J. BAUHIN mentions instances of two families being poisoned by eating small quantities of them. Authors differ very much in their opinions respecting the usefulness of this plant as food for cattle. LINNAEUS says that horses, sheep, and goats, are not fond of it; and that cows and swine refuse it. According to VILLARS, horses will not eat it, even in the stable; and Mr. MILLER says that there are few animals who care to eat it except the ass. On the contrary, Mr. RAY informs us that it has the name of Cow-weed, because it is a grateful food to cows, in the Spring, before it runs up to stalk; and in confirmation of this, Mr. WAINWRIGHT says that cows like it so well, that when a pasture is over-run with it, as is often the case about Dudley, they always turn them in to eat it up.

LINNÆUS remarks, that this plant indicates a fruitful soil; and Dr. WITHERING says that the umbels afford an indifferent yellow dye; the leaves and stems a beautiful green, (see Mart. Mill. Gard. Dict.).

A small, brownish-coloured fungus, Puccinia Umbelliferárum, Hook. Brit. Fl. v. ii. pt. II. p. 366, is often parasitic on the under surface of the leaves, about June.