168 



PtELb AND WOODLAND PLANTS 



their points turned inwards ; and five stamens. The inferior ovary 

 consists of two united carpels, surmounted by a fleshy disc that 

 supports the petals and the stamens, and bears two styles. 



Special attention must be given to the'structure of the fruits 

 of umbellifers, for a close examination of these is often necessary 



for purposes of iden- 

 tification. The two 

 carpels are close to- 

 gether, with their 

 adjacent surfaces 

 flattened, and are 

 fixed to a central 

 axis called the carpo- 

 phore. As the fruit 

 ripens, the carpo- 

 phore often divides, 

 from above down- 

 wards, becoming 

 Y-shaped ; and the 

 carpels, thus separ- 

 ated, are for a time 

 suspended on its two 

 arms. Each carpel 

 is marked by vertical 

 ridges, generally 

 nine in number, five 

 of them {primary 

 ridges) being more 

 prominent than the 

 four intermediate or 

 s econ clary ridges. 

 The ridge on each 

 side of the carpel, 

 fruit into two parts, is 

 means of which wind- 



THB Fool's Parsley. 



nearest to the fissure that divides the 

 often extended so as to form wings by 

 distribution is greatly facilitated ; and between the various ridges 

 are the furroivs of the fruit. In addition to these features, there 

 are often narrow, light-coloured streaks running parallel with the 

 ridges, in the walls of the fruit. There are usually six of these in 

 each carpel, sometimes more than one in the same furrow, and they 

 mark the positions of narrow oil-sacs or vittce. Each carpel contains 

 only one seed. 



