UMBELLIFEROUS TRIBE III 



last, and growing in similar situations, but rare. The flowers in this 

 species are of a deeper yellow ; in both the number of stamens is 

 usually 8. Fl. April, May. Perennial. 



3. Parnassia (Grass of Parnassus) 



1. P. palustris (Common Grass of Parnassus). The only British 

 species. An exceedingly elegant plant 8-10 inches high, with soli- 

 tary cream-coloured flowers, beautifully veined. The nectaries are 

 fan-like scales, fringed with white hairs, and terminating in yellow 

 wax-like glands. Bogs ; principally in the north. Fl. August to 

 October. Perennial. 



Natural Order XXXVI 

 UMBELLIFER/E. The Umbelliferous Tribe 



Calyx superior, 5-toothed, often reduced to a mere margin ; petals 

 5, usually ending in a point, which is bent inwards ; stamens 5, 

 alternate with the petals, curved inwards when in bud ; ovary in- 

 ferior, 2-celled, crowned by a fleshy disk, which bears the petals 

 and stamens ; styles 2 ; stigmas small ; fruit composed of 2 carpels, 

 which adhere by their faces to a central stalk, from which, as they 

 ripen, they separate below, and finally are attached to the upper 

 extremity only ; each carpel is marked by 5 vertical ridges, with 4 

 intermediate ones ; these ridges are separated by channels, in which 

 are often found, imbedded in the substance of the fruit, narrow cells 

 (called vittae) containing a coloured, oily matter ; seeds 1 in each 

 carpel, attached by their upper extremity, and containing a large 

 horny albumen ; the flowers are usually small and situated on the 

 extremities of little stalks, which are united at the base and form 

 an umbel. When several of these smaller umbels proceed in like 

 manner from a common stalk the umbel is said to be compound ; 

 the larger being called a general umbel, the smaller partial. The 

 small leaves which commonly accompany the flowers of this tribe 

 are called general or partial bracts, according to their position ; each 

 collection of bracts is sometimes termed an involucre. All the 

 British plants belonging to this Order are herbaceous, with tubular, 

 or solid, jointed stems. With two exceptions, Eryngium and Hydro- 

 cotyle, they have compound umbels. By far the larger number 

 have also divided leaves, more or less sheathing at the base, and 

 white flowers. Though it is easy at a glance to decide to what 

 Order they are to be assigned, no such facility exists in distinguish- 

 ing the families of the Umbelliferae. Indeed, were it not for the 

 large number of species (about 1500) which are known to exist, it 

 is probable that they would have been brought together by 

 botanists, so as to form but a few genera, whereas they have been 



