472 



STRUCTURE AND LIFE HISTORIES 



that the numerous flower-stalks are of such relative 

 lengths as to bring all the flowers to substantially the same 

 plane (Fig. 356), and that the outer flower buds open first; 

 in other words the anthesis is centripetal. Some of the 



FIG. 355. Heradeum lanatum (Parsley family). Individual flower from 

 the margin of an umbel. 



FIG. 356. A compound umbel of cow parsnip (Heradeum lanatum). 



genera of this family (e.g., caraway, parsley, parsnips, 

 carrots) are edible, while, as often happens in other 

 families also, some of their near relatives (e.g., the water- 

 hemlock, Cicuta) are very poisonous. 



