LXVII. UMBELLIFERiE. 



SB3 



desolations of autumn and winter, this alone puts forth its yellow blossoms. 

 The small branches were formerly used for " divining rods," to indicate the 

 presence of the precious metals arid of deep springs of water, and there are even 

 at this day, persons who deem a denial of these virtues to the witch hazel, an 

 offence little short of heresy. 



Order LXVII. UMBELLIFER.E.— Umbellifers. 



St. herbaceous, hollow, furrowed. 



Lvs. usually divided, simple or compound, with sheathing petioles. 



F/s. arranged in umbels, mo.stly white, often yellow, pink, blue, or greenish. 



Cal. adhering to the ovarj', entire or 5-toothed. 



Cor.— Petiih 5, usually inflected at the point, imbricate in estivation. 



Sta. 5, alternate with the petals and in.^erted with them upon the disk. 



Ova. inferior, ii-celled, surmounted by the fleshy disk which bears the stamens and petals. 



Sty. 2, distinct, or united at their thickened bases. Stig-. simple. 



Pr. dry, consisting of2 coherent carpels, snsarating from each other by their faces (commissure) into two 



halves (7nerocarps). 

 Carpophore,— t\{e slender, simple, or forked axis by which the carpels are borne, cohering to it by the 



faces of the commissure. 

 Ribs.— A definite number of ridges traversing the carpels, the larger ones (primary) alternating with the 



smaller (secondary). 

 Vitttz.— Little linear receptacles of colored volatile oil, imbedded in the substance of the pericarp, just 



beneath the intervals of the ribs and the commissure. 

 Genera 267, species 1500.— This is a vast and well defined natural order, native of damp places, way- 

 sides, groves, &c., in the cool parts of the world. Very few are found in tropical countries except upon 

 the mountains. 



P/opfrr/c-s aromatic, stimulant and carminative, dependinff upon a volatile oil residing in the vittae of 

 the fruit, in the roots, <fec. The herbage is frequently pervaded by an acrid, narcotic principle, rendenng 

 it verj' poisonous. Of this nature is the Conium maculatum (hemlock). Cicuta virosa, iEthusa Cynapium 

 (fools parsley), besides many others which have, at least, a suspicious character. But the fruit is never 

 poisonous, and is usually stimulant and aromatic, as caraway, anise, dill, coriander, &c. Even the roots 

 and herbage of other species are whole-some and nutritive, as the carrot, parsnep, sweet cisely, celery 

 and Archangelica. The gum-resin, assafastida, exudes from incisions in the Ferula of Persia; the gutn 

 g'a/ftffwwm is the product of Galbanum officinale, an Indian species. 



The genera of the UnibeUifera- are numerous, and not easily distinguished. The characters by which 

 De Candolle has more successfully than any other author divided this order into tribes and genera, are 

 chiefly founded upon the number and development of the ribs, the presence or absence of the V2tt(Z, and 

 the form of the albumen, particularly at the commissure. These parts, therefore, minute as they are, will 

 require the special attention of the student. 



FIO. 46.— 1. Zizia auron, with its compound, naked umbel, &c. 2. A flower enl.arpwl. 3. The fniit 

 with iu filiform ribs and two persistent styles. 4. Tro.ss section, showinj,' the two cnnKsl.M with the vitt« 

 and flat roinmissure. ."i. i;mbcl of (•■■•morhiza Idncistyiis in fruit. 6. A flower enlarged. 7. The fruit 

 wilh fh<' mtroriirps scpariiiine from the ha.-ii' and supported by the bifid rarpophore. 8. Surmit of the 

 fruit of O brtvi^iyliH. 9. Fruit of Conium maculJilum, with the undulaterrenulafe ribn. 10. Croa* •ec- 

 tion, nhowinx the grooved aimmiiMurc and involute albumen. II. Radiant flower of Coriandrum 

 12. Vertical secliun of the globose fruit, fthoMing the minute embryo. 



