ORDER TRIGYNIA. 



217 



drawing, which may assist you in understanding their general 

 character. 



We have here a sketch of the Coriander : 

 Fig. 109. 



1. CALYX (a), this is of that kind called an involucrum ; the leaves which 

 you see at the foot of the universal umbel, form what is called the general invo- 

 lucrum ; the leaves, which are at the foot of the partial umbel, form a partial 

 involucrum. Both of these involucrums are pinnatifid or have the leaves 

 divided. 



2. COROLLA (6), this is represented as magnified; you can see that it has five 

 petals, inflected or bent inwards. 



3. STAMENS, five, anthers somewhat divided. 



4. PISTILS, two, reflected or bent back, as may beseen on the seed (c), where 

 the stigmas are permanent. 



5. PERICARP, is wanting, as in all umbellate plants. 



6. SEED (c),is round, with its two styles at the summit. 



7. STEM (d), is herbaceous, branched. 



8. LEAVES (e), narrow, pinnatifid. 



9. FLOWERS, terminal, umbelled.* 



The umbellate plants, although in some cases poisonous, 

 supply us with valuable vegetables for food ; as the parsnip, 

 carrot, and celery. The roots and stalks of the Angelica, in 

 Greenland, where they have but a scanty supply of food, are 

 eaten and considered as a great delicacy. Dill, fennel, cori- 

 ander and carraway, are used in confectionary, and are also 

 made subservient to many valuable medicinal purposes. 



* The description of this plant is given on the authority of Nuttall, who calls 

 it the American coriander, which he says is found in the neighbourhood of the 

 Red River. The cultivated coriander has but a one leafed involucrum. 



Analysis of CorianderUses of the Umbellate plants. 

 19 



