: ae 
prancy TK a 
- CLASS VY. 
PENTANDRIA. 
SSS 
Tire teedatalbeasoehetgeebiOetdieen of this clans Gh 
cludes the plants with Roucu Leaves ; which, Linnzus 
says, are mucilaginous, and esculent. Phil. bot. 340. As 
there is no seed vessel, the cup does not fall off, but re- 
mains after the blossom decays, and contains the seeds. — 
In the second division of this order, those plants which 
bear berries, and have a blossom. composed of one petal, 
are orally. poisonous, 
The third division of the Seconp OrveEr consists of 
lants whose flowers are disposed in UMBELs or RuNDLEs. 
ese are divided into such as have both a general and a 
partial InvoLucruM, such as have only a partial one, and 
such as have none at all; but as the involucrums are ° 
not very constant, and in some species are apt to fall off, 
and as the blossoms, stamens, and pistils, are so much 
alike as to afford but little assistance in the determination 
of the pane and species, the student is desired to pay 
Particular attention to the seeds, which furnish the most 
unequivocal generic characters, and often come powerfully 
in aid of the specific character. On this account, it 1s 
Necessary to gather some specimens in which the seeds are 
Nearly ripe, and others but just ing into flower. | 
The Umbelliferous Plants in dry situations are aromatic 
d carminative ; in moist ones, acrid, and sometimes 
Poisonous, The greatest virtues are contained in the seeds 
roots. Many of them are eaten at our tables, as the 
roots of Carrot and Parsnep, and the leaves of CELERY. — 
feck seeds of CORIANDER and CaRAWAY are used in con- — 
onary, . 
