The  umbels  are  smaller  than  In  the  fore-
going, opposite  to  the  leaves  or  In  the  forks
of  the  branches.  The  variety  that  grows
In  deep  running  water  Is  by  some  consider-
ed a  distinct  species  under  the  name  (E,
fluviatilis.
<E.  fistidosa  has  fibrous  roots,  some  of
which  become  swollen  and  tuberous.  The
stem  Is  thick  and  hollow,  slightly  branched,
the  root-leaves  twice  pinnate,  with  small
wedge-shaped  segments,  the  stem-leaves
with  long  hollow  stalks  and  a  few  pinnate
linear  segments  at  the  top.  The  umbel  ter-
minating the  main  stem  has  In  general
three  rays,  and  all  the  flowers  are  fertile,
while  the  umbels  that  occur  on  the  branch-
es have  more  than  three  rays ;  but  the
flowers  are  barren.  This  is  perhaps  the
most  common  species.  (E.  pimpinelloides
has  tnberous  roots,  leaves  much  more  di-
vided than  in  the  last,  stems  nearly  solid,
all  the  umbels  with  many  rays,  and  having
fertile  and  barren  flowers  Intermixed ;  the
latter  are  on  longer  stalks  than  the  former.
The  shape  of  the  leaves  and  tubers  Is  sub-
ject to  much  variation.  Mr.  Beutham  com-
bines with  this  species  Ob'.  Lachenalii.
In  spite  of  the  dangerous  qualities  of
some  of  these  plants,  others  are  innocuous,
and  their  tuberous  roots  are  eaten  as  food.
