HERACLEUM, in botany, a genus of the pentandria digynia class, the general flower of which is difform and radiated; the single flowers of the disc consist each of five equal petals, but those of the radius consist of five unequal petals: the fruit is elliptic, compressed, and striated on each side in the middle, and contains two oval compressed seeds. There are five species, one of which, viz. the sphondylium, or cow-parisn, is a native of Britain.