266 



POLYPETALOUS ORDERS. 



Fruit a 2-celled capsule. Seeds i^endulous ; embryo straight, 

 in the axis of fleshy albumen. 



a. Properties : the leaves and bark are astringenl^ ; tbe seeds of some species aro 

 oily and edible. 



Genera. — Hamamelis, Fothergilla. 



462. ITmbellifekA':, the UmhelUferovs Tribe. — Herbaceous 

 plants with solid or fistular, furrowed steix'S. Leases alternate, 

 variously divided, sheathing at the base. Floicers umbellate, 

 involucrate. Cahjx entire or 5-toothed, cob oring with the o vary. 

 Petals 5, inserted on the outside of a flenhy, epigynous disk, 

 the points often inliexed, imbricate in aestivation. Stamens 5, 

 alternate wdth the petals, incurved in sestivatio^i. Ovary infe- 

 rior, 2-celled, crowned by a double fleshy c^sk ; oimles solitary, 

 pendulous ; styles 2, distinct. Fruit a cremcccry^ consisting 

 of 2 carpels, which adhere by their face to a common axis, from 

 which they separate and are suspended when ripe ; each carpel 

 is traversed by ridges, 5 of which are primary, ?,nd 4 alter- 

 nating with them are secondary ; below the channels by which 

 they are separated there are often mttce., containing oil. Seeds 

 pendulous ; embryo minute, at the base of abundant horny 

 albumen. 



a. Properties: various. Some umbellifers are esculent, while others ari^ ^ ^^ison- 

 ous ; nearly all are furnished v^ith a volatile oil or balsam, upon which tkr\ • aro- 

 matic and carminative properties depend. 



Fisr. 189. 



Genera. — Hydrocotyle, Sanicula, Eryngium, Cicuta, Zizia, Apium, Sison, Carum, 

 Cryptotffinia, Slum, Bupleurum, CEnanthe, ^thusa, Seseli, Cnidium, Ligusticum, 

 Crithmum, Angelica, Ferula, Peucedanum, Archemora, Anethum, Pastinaca, Hera- 

 oloura, Trepocarpus, Thaspium, Daucus, Osmorhiza, Conium, Coriandrum, Xanthium. 



