MACEDONIAN PARSLEY: A genus of the digynia order, belonging to the pentandra class of plants; and in the natural method ranking under the 45th order, Umbellatae. The fruit is ovated, striated, and villous.

Species. 1. The macedonicum sends out many leaves from the root; the lowest of which grow almost horizontally, spreading near the surface of the ground; the foot-stalk of each leaf divides into several smaller; which are garnished with smooth rhomb-shaped leaves, which are of a bright pale-green colour, and sawed on their edges. In the centre of the plant arises the flower-stem, which is little more than a foot high, dividing into many branches, each being terminated by an umbel of white flowers, which are succeeded by oblong hairy seeds. This plant, in warm countries, is biennial; the plants, which rise from seeds, one year produce flowers, and seeds the next, and then perish; but in Britain they seldom flower till the third or fourth year from the seed; but whenever the plant flowers, it always dies. 2. The rigidus, hard or rigid ferula, is a native of Sicily. It is a low perennial plant, having short, stiff, and very narrow leaves: the flower-stalk rises a foot high, which is terminated by an umbel of small white flowers; which are succeeded by small, oblong, channelled seeds. It is a plant of little beauty or use, so is only cultivated for the sake of variety. 3. The galbanum or African ferula, rises with an upright stalk to the height of eight or ten feet, which at bottom is woody, having a purplish bark covered with a whitish powder that comes off when handled. The upper part of the stalk is garnished with leaves at every joint, the foot-stalks half-embracing them at their base, and are set with leaves like those of the lovage, but smaller, and of a grey colour: the top of the stalk is terminated by an umbel of yellow flowers; which are succeeded by oblong channelled seeds, which have a thin membrane or wing on their border. When any part of the plant is broken, there issues out a little thin milk of a cream colour, which hath a strong scent of galbanum. 4. The gummiferum, with a mock chervil leaf, rises with a ligneous stalk about the same height; and is garnished with leaves at each joint, which branch out like the former; but the small leaves or lobes are narrow and indented like those of bastard hemlock. The stalk is terminated by an umbel of small yellow flowers, which are succeeded by seeds like those of the former sort. These plants are all propagated by seeds, and require the common culture of other exotic vegetables. The galbanum of the shops is supposed to be procured from the third and fourth sorts.