80 OF THE OTHER ORDERS 



solid, unribbed fruit, closely armed with hooked 

 bristles. In the Eryngium, or Sea-holly, generally 

 spiny plants, with blue flowers and bractes, the flow- 

 ers grow in dense, roundish heads, upon a chaff-bear- 

 ing receptacle, and have a many-leaved, more or less 

 spiny, involucrum. 



And though the mutual distinctions which mark 

 the genera are not all so obvious as those above se- 

 lected, a due attention to the fixed characters of the 

 fruit, taken sometimes in conjunction with the involu- 

 crum, and other lesser traits, will, on the whole, prove 

 sufficient to remove ambiguity, and bring you suffi- 

 ciently acquainted with this remarkable tribe of plants, 

 of which so many are poisons to men and cattle, and 

 so (ew are either useful or ornamental. Among those 

 which we cultivate, are the Parsley and Cellery, 

 Carrot, Parsnip, Skerret, Caraway, Coriander, Fen- 

 nel, and Chervil (Scandix cerefolium). The Earth- 

 nut (Bunias bulbocastanum) of Europe, though not 

 cultivated, is often eaten by children, and may be 

 considered harmless. The large tuberous roots of the 

 Arecacha, an umbelliferous plant of South America, 

 belonging to the genus Conium, or Hemlock, are also 

 eaten, and esteemed as but little inferior, either in 

 quantity or quality, to the common Potatoe. From 

 the Ferula Jlssafatida of Persia, is obtained the gum 

 and drug of that name. The Lovage and Angelica 

 were formerly in repute as domestic medicines. 



To the third order of Pentandria belongs the 

 Elder [Sambucus), having the flowers disposed in that 

 kind of flat cluster, termed a cyme. The calyx is 

 minute, and 5-cleft. The corolla nearly rotate, 5- 

 cleft. Stigmas minute; the berry globular, 1-celled, 

 and 3-seeded. 



The Viburnum, also appertaining to the Caprifo- 

 lia tribe, differs from the Elder in bearing, for its 



