UMBELLIFER^. 



85 



Daucus Carota. 



of study the Carrot, which belongs to the genus Daucus ^ (fig. 62-67). 

 Its flowers are hermaphrodite,^ with a concave, sacHke, receptacle, in 

 the very narrow mouth of which are inserted the perianth and androe- 

 cium, whilst its cavity contains the ovary and its external surface 

 bears salient ribs which we shall find more 

 developed in the fruit. The perianth then 

 is superior, and, as said, epigynous. It is 

 double : a calyx, represented by five small 

 teeth,' of which one is posterior, two are 

 lateral and two anterior, and a corolla of 

 five alternate petals. These are nearly 

 equal in the innermost flowers of the in- 

 florescence, but become gradually more 

 unequal towards the outermost. The an- 

 terior is the largest, the posterior the 

 smallest.* All have a short claw and are dilated to a limb which at 

 first appears bilobed. In reality, the pointed end of the organ is 

 greatly inflexed and united for a variable extent to the interior surface 



Fig. 64. Diagram. 



Daucus Carota. 



Fig. 63. Flower (f). 



Fig. 65. Long. sect, of flower. 



of the middle nerve. On each side, consequently, the petal forms a 

 sort of hollow bowl. In the lateral petals these hollows are unequal. 

 The prefloration of the corolla is valvately reduplicate. There are 

 five stamens to the androecium, ^'epigynous/' inserted, like the 



1 T. Imt. 307, t. 161.— L. Gen. n. 333.— 

 Adans. Fam. des PI. ii. 99.— J. Gen. 224. — 

 G^RTN. Fruct. i. 79, t. 20. — Lamk. Diet. i. 633 ; 

 Suppl. ii. 116 ; ///. t. 192.— DC. Prodr. iv. 209. 

 — Spach, Suit, a Buffon^ viii. 1.50. — Endl. Gen, 

 n. 4497.— Hook. FL Lid. ii. 718.— B. H. Gen. 



928, B. 145 (incl. : Caucalis L. Torilis DC. Iwr- 

 genia Hoffm. Ammiopsis Bekth.). 



2 Or not unfrequently polygamous. 



^ Which may also be totally wanting. 



* In the lateral petals, the posterior lobe is 

 ordinarily a little smaller than the other. 



