Conium.'] PENTANDRIA — DIGYNIA. 79 



the study of them more easy to the young botanist. All our Umbelli- 

 ferous plants are herbaceous ; they have leaves which are alternate, 

 mostly very compound, with dilated and sheathing bases. But what 

 characterises them best, and gives the name to the Natural Family, is 

 the circumstance of the Jlotvcrs, in almost every instance, being arranged 

 in compound umbels, with or without involucres. The germen is in- 

 ferior (enveloped bj-, and adherent with, the tube of the calyx), S-celled, 

 presenting just below where the petals are inserted, a thickened margin, 

 or sometimes teeth or segments, the only free part of the calyx. There 

 are 5 petals, entire or obcordate, often bifid, with an incurved point 

 between the 2 lobes, equal or unequal. Stam. 5, spreading : these, as 

 ■well as the petals, are inserted beneath the dilated base of the styles. 

 Styles 2, united at their base into a 2-lobed, fleshy disk, which covers 

 the top of the germen. Stiyrnas capitate. Fruit of 2, single-seeded, 

 indehiscent pericarps, or carpels, as they may be conveniently called, 

 eventually separating, each with its style and for a time suspended by a 

 central, filiform, and generally bipartite cotuvin or axis. They are 

 variously shaped, and variously marked with longitudinal lihs ox ridges. 

 The number of these ribs upon each carpel is 5, more or less apparent, 

 sometimes obliterated. Within the coat of the carpels, generally in the 

 interstices, are often longitudinal ducts, or canals, replete with an oily 

 or resinous substance, and usually coloured ; so that they are sometimes 

 visible without dissection. These are called vittcc. The jjarts on which 

 the marks of distinction de]3end are assuredly minute, and in vain will 

 the student hope to make himself master of this extensive and important 

 tribe of plants, without devoting his earnest attention to the subject, and 

 carefully examining the structure of the flowers, and more especially of 

 the fruit. 



I. Umbels simple or imperfectly compound. 



46. Hydrocotyle. (Tab. III. f. 1.) Fruit of 2 flat nearly 

 orbicular lobes or carpels, each with 3 more or less distinct fili- 

 form ribs. Cal.-teeth oh^ol^ie. Pet.o\a.iQ. (Leaves orbicular, pel- 

 tate^. — Named from uSwp, tcater, and xot-jXtj, a cup or vase. The 

 leaves are a little depressed and stalked in the centre, and may 

 thence somewhat resemble a cup or platter. The plant grows 

 in watery places. 



47. SANfcuLA. (Tab. III. f. 2.) i^n«V ovate, densely clothed 

 with hooked prickles. Cal.-teeth leafy. Pet. erect, obovate, Avith 

 long inflected points (some flowers abortive). — Name derived 

 from sanio, to heal ; because this plant was supposed "to make 

 whole and sound all inward wounds and outward hurts." 



48. Eryngiu^i. (Tab. III. f. 3.) Fruit ovate, clothed with 

 chaffy scales or bristles. Cal.-teeth leafy. Pet. erect, oblong, with 

 long inflected points. — (Involucre of many leaves. Flowers in a 

 compact head upon a scaly receptacle). — Name e^vyyiov, of Dio- 

 scorides. 



II. Umbels compound, or perfect. 

 A. Fruit not prickly nor beaked; laterally compressed. 



49. Conium. (Tab. III. f. 4.) Fruit broadly ovate. Carpels 



