NEILGHERRY PLANTS. 65 
XXXIL—UMBELLIFER-. 
This is a large family, very extra-tropical in its habits, and peculiar in its properties. 
On the plains of India they are almost unknown, but on the higher hills they are not by any 
means uncommon either as to the number, or the frequency of individual species. In Europe, 
however, their numbers are out of all proportion greater, here we have at the utmost some 
15 or 20 species distributed over an area of probably 1000 square miles; there, in autumn, 
walking across a meadow, of perhaps less than 5 acres in extent, as many may often be 
found. 
In its properties this family is very remarkable. The seed, or more properly fruit of 
nearly the whole are aromatic and carminative, not even excepting those of the most poison- 
ous; while the vegetation of allis suspicious and ought to be used with great care until 
qualified by culture, or ascertained by experience to be innocuous. The Hemlock and 
Fools Parsley, both very poisonous plants, are members of this family with many others 
nearly as bad; but so are the true Parsley, Celery, Carrots, Parsnips, Samphire and many 
others that are in daily use as wholesome articles of food. Notwithstanding this medley of 
virulent poisons, medicinal virtues, and wholesome properties, the whole family viewed Bo- 
tanically, is one of the most natural of the vegetable kingdom, and the most uniform in the 
structure of its flowers and fruit.. An inferior, nearly entire or 5-toothed, calyx, 5 petals, 5 
stamens, a 2-celled ovary and fruit with2 pendulous albuminous seed, are points of structure 
common to the whole order: generally they are herbaceous with hollow stems, sheathing 
leaves, and umbelled inflorescence. This last varies as in the case of Hydrocotyle, and 
some others where the flowers are capitate. 
Owing to this uniformity of the structure of the flowers, fruit and inflorescence, this has 
proved one of the most difficult families to subdivide and groop into tribes and genera; and 
these subdivisions, as now limited, for the most part rest on characters so minute, that even 
skilful Botanists sometimes find it most difficult to make themout. Such being the ease, it has 
followed as a natural consequence, that various attempts have been made to distribute them 
in such a way as to facilitate their recognition, but hitherto with indifferent success. That 
given by DeCandolle, the one followed by us in the peninsular flora, is that now generally 
adopted ; and those wishing information regarding it, may refer either to that work, or to my 
Illustrations in which its principles are explained, as it would be out of place in this work to 
undertake the explanation of such a complex arrangement. 
As stated above, this, in its economical relations, is an important family ; some valuable 
articles of food are obtained from it, such as the Carrot, Parsnip, Celery, Parsley : as medi- 
cine, the aromatic properties of the seed of many render them valuable, as warm, stimulating, 
carminatives ; while the leaves of the Hemlock, used with judgment, are in some forms of 
disease a most powerful remedy, but unfortunately uncertain in its operation; apparently 
owing to its properties varying with the age at which the plant is gathered, and also accord- 
ing to the season. Several others are virulently poisonous, and are often destructive to 
cattle to a great extent, especially in spring, None of those found on the Hills are referable 
to this last class. I do not recollect any having been cultivated for ornamental purposes. 
