UMBELLlFERiE. 167 



UMBELLIFEIVE. 



A large family characterised chiefly by the flowers 



being in compound umbels (umbels of umbels), with 



inferior ovary which always splits into two one-seeded 



parts (mericarps). Herbs usually strongly scented, with 



hollow stems. Leaves nearly always much dissected 



or compound, and with large sheathing base. Sepals 



small or none. Petals folded down the middle, notched. 



Stamens five. Styles two. Mericarps with five ridges 



and sometimes others between them, and in the valleys 



between long oil cavities (vittas). 



Species 1,300 mostly in the temperate regions of the Old 

 Wodd. Absent from North America and south of the Line. 



HYDROCOTYLE and SANICULA have simple umbels and no vittas in the 

 fruit, and are removed by some systematists into a family of their own. 

 P'or distinguishing the genera importance is attached to the presence or 

 absence on the mericarps of secondary ridges between the main ones ; on 

 the number of vittas between the ridges ; and on the shape of the fruit and 

 mericarps, whether these are widest at the split and flat ; or equally thick 

 as wide ; or narrowest at the split and therefore flattened at right angles 

 to it. 



HYDROCOTYLE. f.b.i. 70 i. 



Pennywort 

 Small herbs prostrate and rooting at the nodes. 

 Leaves long stalked with small scarious stipules, 

 roundish angular or lobed, cordate (or slit behind the 

 point of attachment), palmately nerved. Umbels sim- 

 ple, small. Flowers white. Fruits compressed at right 

 angles to the plane of division, i.e., splitting faces narrow: 

 no vittas. 



Species about 70 in wet and damp places, especially in the 

 southern hemisphere. A few in Europe : Pennywort, Ger. 

 Wassernabel. 



r Leaves 14 i"^^ H. rotundifolia. 



a < Leaves i inch kidney-shaped .... H. asiatica. 



(Leaves i inch or more deeply cordate, lobed and toothed, b 

 , J Umbels on peduncles of J^ inch or more . . H. javanica. 



(Umbels on peduncles of J^ inch only . . . H. conferta. 



