CLA.S V. ORDKR. H.J UMBELLIFERjE. 345 



the universal umbel involucra, or involucra universalis, or general 

 involucra ; and when they surround the partial umbels involucella, 

 or partial involucra. Both of these may be present, or one or 

 both of them absent. 



The floivers are generally white, rarely pink, yellow, buff, or blue. 



The calyx superior, attached to the germen, the limb of live lobes, 

 entire, deciduous, or persistent, or truncated, or obsolete. 



The petals five, equal or unequal, (rarely absent), inserted on the outer 

 edge, of a fleshy nectariferous disk, alternating with the segments 

 of the calyx, the claw (ungues) is narrow, and the limb either 

 entire, notched, or with an indexed point, in aestivation involute, 

 imbricated, or rarely valvate, the outer petals of the flosvers on the 

 outer rays of the umbels sometimes the largest. 



The stamens five, alternating with the petals. The filaments free, 

 incurved in aestivation. Anthers of two cells, bursting by long- 

 titudinal clefts. 



The styles two, simple, united at the base, where they are more or less 

 thickened, forming the fleshy disk on the top of the germen, per- 

 sistent spreading. Stigmas simple. 



The germen inferior, formed of two adhering carpels, consequently two 

 celled, each with a solitary pendulous ovula. 



The/rtu'f consists of two carpels, at length separating from the common 

 axis, to which they adhere by their faces forming the commisure, 

 each being crowned by its style, and they are suspended for a 

 time from the extremity of the central filiform, mostly bifid, (at 

 least at the top), columella. The carpels are of various shapes, 

 covered externally by the lobes of the calyx, and variously marked 

 with longtitudinal elevated ridges, which are variable, being 

 simply winged, filiform or obtuse, or crenated or waved, and in 

 some nearly obliterated. Each carpel is marked with five, which 

 are called primary ridges, from their being always present more 

 or less distinctly, and alternating with these primary ridges are 

 sometimes four others, which are called secondary. The channels 

 between the ridges are called vallecules, and beneath them, covered 

 by the coat of the pericarp, and sunk in the substance of the testa, 

 are linear receptacles or bands, called vittce ; these vittae, solitary, 

 or several together, simple or elevate, contain an essential, oily, or 

 resinous matter, in which resides their medicinal property, which 

 is mostly aromatic and wholesome. 



The seed is solitary, pendulous, usually adhering inseparably from the 

 pericarp, rarely loose, as in Crithmum and Archangelica. The 

 albumen is large, fleshy or horny, more or less, convex externally, 

 but internally flat and smooth, as Angelica, Daucus , &c., or the 

 sides rolled inwards, or deeply channeled in front, as Torilis, 

 Myrrhis, &c., but rarely concave in front, as in Coriandrum. The 



