UMBELLIFERJE. 149 



ORDER XXXV. UMBELLIF'ERJE. 



Herbs. Stems usually fistular, solid at the nodes. Leaves alternate, 

 pinnately or 3-nately compound, rarely simple ; petioles dilated at the 

 base. Inflorescence of usually regular and compound umbels, with an in- 

 volucre of whorled bracts at the base of the primary rays, and of bracteoles 

 at the secondary ; rarely simple or capitate. Flowers small, all 2-sexual 

 and similar ; or outer in each umbel male, with large unequal petals and 

 longer stamens, inner female or 2-sexual. Calyx superior ; limb or 5- 

 toothed. Petals 5, epigynous, usually obovate or obcordate, tip often in- 

 tiexed, imbricate, induplicate, or valvate in bud. Stamens 5, at the base 

 of the disk ; filaments incurved, anthers versatile. Disk epigynous, usually 

 of 2 lobes confluent witli the bases of the styles, rarely free. Ovary 2- 

 celled ; styles 2, erect or recurved, stigmas obtuse ; ovules 1 in each cell, 

 pendulous, anatropous, raphe ventral, micropyle superior, integuments con- 

 fluent with the nucleus. Fruit of 2 indehiscent, dorsally or laterally com- 

 pressed carpels, separated by a commissure ; carpels each normally 5- or 10- 

 ridged, attached to and often pendulous from an entire or split slender axis 

 (carpophore) ; pericarp often traversed by oil-canals (vittce). Seed pendulous, 

 usually adherent to the pericarp, testa membranous, albumen copious dense ; 

 embryo minute, next the hilum, cotyledons ovate-oblong or linear, often 

 very unequal. DISTRIB. Chiefly N. Europe, N. and W. Asia, and N. Africa; 

 rarer in America, S. Africa, Australia, and tropical mountains ; genera 152; 

 species 1,300. AFFINITIES. Intimate with Araliacece and Cornece. PRO- 

 PERTIES. 1. Poisonous, acrid, watery sap in jEihiisa, Gonium, Cicuta, 

 (EnantJic. 2. Esculent in Angelica, Samphire, Parsley, Celery, &c. 3. Sugar 

 and starch abound in Carrot, Parsnip, Pig-nut. 4. Milky foetid gum-resins in 

 stems of Asafcetida, Galbanum, &c. 5. Essential oils in the fruit of Anise, 

 Dill, Caraway, Coriander, and Cummin. The ridges are normally 9 on 

 each carpel ; viz. 5 primary, of which 2 are lateral next the commissure, 

 1 dorsal, 2 intermediate ; and 4 secondary, alternating with them. The 

 vittse occur between the ridges, rarely in them ; normally there are 6 in 

 each carpel, 4 between the primary ridges and 2 oil the commissural face. 



SERIES 1. HETEROSCIA'DE^E. Umbels simple, or very irregularly compound, 



orflomrs capitate. Vittce or obscure. See' 34. Caucahs. 

 TRIBE I. HYDROCOT'YIiEJE. /Wnaterally much compressed ; commis- 

 sure narrow 1. Hydrocotyle. 



TRIBE II. SANIC ULE-ffi. Fruit subterete, or dorsally compressed ; com- 

 missure broad. 



Leaves spinous. Umbels densely capitate 2. Ervngium. 



Leaves palmate. Bracts very large 2*. Astrantia. 



Leaves palmate. Fruit with hooked spines 3. Sanicula. 



SERIES 2. HAPLOZYG'IEJE. Umbels compound. Primary ridges the most 



conspicuous (except in 22*. Conandrum). Vittce usually obvious. 

 TRIBE III, AMMI'NE.ffi. Fruit laterally compressed ; commissure narrow. 

 Section 1. Smyrn'iese. Fruit short, ovoid or didymous ; ridges not winged. 



Seed grooved in front. 

 Vittae solitary in the interstices; ridges slender 4. Physospermum. 



