158 FOUNDATIONS OF BOTANY 



often lobed. Peduncle bearing several umbels of cream-colored 

 flowers, in a terminal corymb. Fruit blue-black. Dry fields and 

 pastures E. 



2. A. nudicaulis, L. SARSAPARILLA. Perennial herb ; roots very 

 long, somewhat fleshy, aromatic; stem very short or none. Leaf 

 solitary, from a sheathing base, petioled, 6-12 in. long ; compound in 

 threes, each division 3-5-pinnate ; leaflets oval or ovate, taper-pointed, 

 finely and sharply serrate, smooth above, often downy below. Scape 

 nearly as long as the petiole, usually bearing 3 short, peduncled 

 umbels. Flowers greenish. Styles distinct. Fruit globose, black. 

 In rich woods. 



72. UMBELLIFER^. PARSLEY FAMILY. 



Herbs, usually with hollow, grooved stems. Flowers small, 

 generally in umbels. Calyx-tube adnate to the ovary ; limb 

 of the calyx either wanting or present only as a 5-toothed rim 

 or margin around the top of the ovary. Petals 5. Stamens 5, 

 inserted on the disk, which is borne by the ovary (Fig. 19). 

 Ovary 2-celled and 2-ovuled (Fig. 19), ripening into 2 

 akene-like carpels, which separate from each other. Each 

 carpel bears 5 longitudinal ribs, in the furrows between which 

 secondary ribs frequently occur. On a cross-section of the 

 fruit, oil-tubes are seen, traversing the interspaces between 

 the ribs, and near the surface of the fruit (Fig. 19). The 

 seeds contain a small embryo, enclosed in considerable endo- 

 sperm. [The family is a difficult one, since the flowers are 

 so much alike that the species are distinguished from each 

 other mainly by minute characteristics of the fruit.] 



I. ERYNGIUM, Tourn. 



Annual, biennial, or perennial herbs. Stems erect or creep- 

 ing. Leaves simple, mostly linear and spiny-toothed. Flowers 

 white or blue, in dense, bracted heads or spikes, flowers brac- 

 teolate. Calyx-teeth rigid, persistent. Petals erect, pointed. 

 Styles slender. Fruit top-shaped, scaly or granular, ribs want- 

 ing, oil-tubes usually 5, minute.* 



