S MY R N I UM Olufatrum.
Alexanders.
P E N 'T A N D R I A Dlgynia.
G en. C har. Fruit oblong, angular. Petals pointed,
carinated. Many flowers abortive. Involucre
none.
Spec. C har. Stem-leaves in threes, on footftalks,
ferrated.
Syn. Smyrnium Olufatrutn. Linn. Sp. PL 376.
HudJ. FI. An. 126. With. But. Arr. 310. Re lb.
Cant. 123. Sibth. Oxon. 101.
Smyrnium. Rail Syn. 208.
T h i s is rather a maritime plant, and is found near the coaft
in many places; but whether from having been formerly cultivated
as a pot-herb, or the feeds difperfed by any other means,
it pow occurs about many inland towns, as Nottingham, York,
Bury, Newmarket, and about Mackerell’s tower Norwich.
The root is biennial, and the flowers appear in May. By the
middle of July the (talks are dried up, but remain laden with
large black feeds.
The (tern is ftrong, deeply furrowed. Leaves large, twice or
thrice ternate, cut and ferrated. Flowers fmall, numerous and
irregular. The whole herb is of a pale bright green, fmooth,
fucculent, in flavour fomething like cellery, but more ftrong
and bitter. It is now out of ufe, though formerly eaten in various
parts of Europe, either as a fallad or pot-herb, whence the
name Olus atrum. Ray thinks it was called Alexanders be-
caufe in Italy and Germany it had long been denominated
herba Alexandrina, having been fuppofed to be brought from
Alexandria.
s.m: