376 Order 63.— UMBELLIFER^E. 



thickened bases. Stigmas simple. Fruit a cremocarp (§ 557), consisting of 2 co» 

 herent achenia called mericarps which separate along the middle space, which ia 

 called tho commissure. 

 Carpophore, the slender, simplo or forked axis attached to and supporting tho 



mericarps at top, inclosed between them at tho commissure. 

 Ribs — 5 ridges traversing each mericarp lengthwise, and often 4 intermediate or 



secondary ones, some, all, or none of them winged. 

 Vittce — little tubular receptacles of colored volatile oil imbedded in tho substance 



of the pericarp, just beneath tho intervals of tho ribs, and also sometimes in the 



face of the commissure. 

 Embryo in the base of abundant, horny albumen. (Illust. in figs. 25, 27, 102, 134, 



135, 163, 207, 297, 433.) 



Genera 270, species 1500 or more. A large and well defined natural order, native of damp 

 places, waysides, groves, &c, in the cool parts of the world. Very few are found in tropical 

 countries, except upon the mountains. 



Properties, aromatic, stimulant and carminative, depending upon a volatile oil residing in tho 

 vittie of the fruit, in the roots, &c. The herbage is frequently pervaded by an acrid, narcotic 

 principle, rendering it very poisonous. Of this nature is the Conium maculatum (Hemlock), 

 Cicuta virosa, ^Ethusa Cynapium (Fool's Parsley), besides many others which have at least ft 

 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. Parsnip, Sweet Cisely, Celery, and Arehangeliea. The gum 

 resin asxafmtida exudes from incisions on the Ferula of Persia. The Gum Galbanum is the 

 prodnct of Galbanum officinale, an Indian species. The genera of the Umbellifera? are often best 

 defined by characters founded upon the number and development of the ribs, the presence or 

 absence of the vittaa, and the form of the albumen, particularly at the commissure. These 

 parts, therefore, minute as they are, will require the especial attention of the student. 



De Candolle subdivided the Umbelworts into sections, depending upon the form of the nlbu- 

 mon and seed, whether (1.) flat on the inner face, or (2.) convolute at tho sides, or (3.) involute 

 At the ends. This arrangement is often impracticable as a step in the 



ANALYSIS OF THE GENERA. 

 § Flowers in simple umbels, sometimes spicate. Leaves simple, (a) 

 5 Flowers in capitate umbels, i. e., sessile, forming dense heads, (b) 

 | Flowers in regularly compound umbels, not sessile in heads. (1) 



1 Fruit flattened on tho back, the margins only singly winged, (c) 

 1 Fruit flattened on the back, the margin only doubly winged, (d) 

 1 Fruit terete or flattened on tho sides. — Ribs bristly echinate. (e) 



— Ribs smooth. Flowers xanthic. (f) 

 — Ribs smooth. Flowers cyanic. (2) 

 2 Plants exotic, growing in gardens, &c. (1) 

 2 Plants native or naturalized, growing wild. (3) 

 3 Fruit slender, thrico longer than wide, often beaked, (g) 

 3 Fruit short, once to twice as long as wide.— Pibs (G to 10)-wingod. (h 



— Ribs not winged. (4) 

 4 Seed furrowed or excavated on the inner face, (i) 

 4 8eed flat on the inner face. — Involucre none or almost none, (j) 

 — Involucre of 2 to 8 bracts, (k) 



a Fruit flat, orbicular. Leaves round or roundish IItdeocottlb. 1 



a Fruit globular. Leaves linear, fleshy phyllodia Crantzia. 3 



b Flowers partly sterile. Fruit densely muricate, few Sanicula. 3 



b Flowers all fertile. Fruit scaly, many in the head Eryngium. 4 



C Flowers yellow. Fruit with a thick, corky margin Polyt^esia. 5 



C Flowers yellow. Fruit with a thin margin Pastinaca. 6 



O Flowers white, — of two sorts, — the marginal radiant Heraclecm. T 



— all alike. — Lfts. 3 to 9, mostly entire Archemoka. 8 



— Lfts. 0, phyllodia linear Tiedemannia. 9 



d Seed adherent to the pericarp, with 6 to 8 vitta: Angelica. 10 



d Seed not adherent, &c, all covered with vittse Archangelica. 11 



e Involucre of several pinnatifld bracts Daucus. 15 



f Involucels of ovate, entire bracts. Leaves simple Bupi.urum. 13 



f Involucels none. Carpels with 5 obtuse ribs Anethum. 14 



f Involucels subulate. — Ribs sharp or winged. Leaflets toothed. .. .Thaspium. 15 

 — Ribs not at all winged. Leaflets entire Zizia. 18 



