HENDERSON'S HANDBOOK OF PLANTS. 



275 



ANT 



Ants. See In &< /.*. 

 Apertus. Open, expanded. 

 Apetdous. Having no petals. Also ex- 

 tended to plants that have neither calyx 

 nor corolla. 

 Apex. The summit; generally applied to 



anything terminating in a point. 

 Aphis. See Insects. 

 Aphthous. Resembling something covered 



with little ulcers. 



Aphyttce. A name applied to that portion 

 of cryptogamic plants comprehended un- 

 der the term Thallogens, (which see,) in 

 consequence of the greater part of them 

 being destitute of such modifications of 

 leaves as occur in Mosses, Ferns, etc. 

 Some Sea- weeds, or Algce, indeed, have 

 leaf-Like organs, but these differ in many 

 respects from leaves, and are mere ex- 

 pansions of the common stem. 

 Aphyllfws. Destitute of leaves. It some- 

 times signifies their partial or imperfect 

 production. 



Apiacece, (Umbellifera, Umbellifers. ) Under 

 this name is collected a very large num- 

 ber of plants, inhabiting for the most 

 part, in the northern regions of the north- 

 ern hemisphere, woods, bogs, marshes, 

 and dry places. As we approach the 

 equator they become less and less known, 

 and in the southern hemisphere are com- 

 paratively rare. They all have a dou- 

 ble (didymous) inferior ovary, separat- 

 ing, when ripe, into two similar parts, 

 commonly called seeds, surmounted by a 

 superior calyx, which is generally scarce- 

 ly, and often not at all, observable; five 

 separate petals ; five intervening epigy- 

 nous stamens; and two styles proceed- 

 ing from what is not very correctly term- 

 ed a double epigynous disk. Hemlock, 

 Carrot, Parsley, and Parsnip are famihar 

 examples. 



API 



Although the order numbers at least 

 1,500 species, divided among nearly 300 

 genera, not a tree is known among them, 

 a very few only attaining the condition 

 of woody bushes. Many are important as 

 producing articles of food ; many are 

 poisons ; most are merely unimportant 

 weeds ; a few, like Astrantia, are furnish- 

 ed with gay colors, and thus become ob- , 

 jects of decoration. One of them, Bolax 

 Gkbaria, forms huge tussocks in the Falk- 

 land Islands, resembling hay-cocks. Of 

 the harmless species, in which, with a 

 little aroma, there is no inconsiderable 

 quantity of acrid watery matter or gum- 

 resinous secretion, must be more particu- 

 larly named Celery, Fennel, Samphire, 

 Parsley, and the roots of the Carrot, Pars- 

 nip, and Skirret, (Sium Sisarum.) The 

 root Eryngium campestre and E. mariti- 

 mum, commonly called Eryngo, is sweet, 

 aromatic, and tonic. The aromatic roots 

 of Meum athamanticum and M. MiUettina 

 form an ingredient in Venice treacle. 

 Angelica Root, belonging to Archangelica 

 fjfficindis, is fragrant, sweet when first 

 tasted, but leaving a glowing heat in the 

 mouth. Others are gum-resinous, as the 

 species of Ferula, yielding Asafoetida, the 

 fetid odor of which is supposed to be 

 owing to sulphur in combination with 

 a peculiar essential oil. 



Of aromatic and carminative fruits, 

 the most celebrated are Anise, (Pimpi- 

 netta Anisum,) Dill, (Anethum graveolens,) 

 Caraway, (Car urn carui,) and Coriander, 

 (Coriandrum sativum.) Besides these, 

 great numbers of less note are also em- 

 ployed for the same reason, the chief of 

 which are the Ajwains or Ajowains of 

 India, (species of Ptychotin,} Honey wort, 

 (Sison Amomum,) whose fruits smell of 

 bugs, and Cummin, (Cumin umCyminum,) 



