VMBELLIFERM. 176 



one fertile carpel. Vitt£e none or not situate in the furrows. — Herbs 

 with simple or compound leaves, inflorescence in cymes or in simple 

 or irregularly compound umbels. — 18 genera. 



VI. Aralieje.' — Fruit 2-oo -celled, carpels not generally separable. 

 Pericarp rarely dry, more generally fleshy, often drupaceous. Kidges 

 rarely developed, often nil. Vittae none or replaced by irregularly 

 scattered oleoresinous reservoirs. Androecium isostemonous or rarely 

 2-plo-oo -stemonous. — Plants generally woody, erect or climbing, 

 with simple, pinnate, digitate or decompound leaves. Inflorescences 

 simple or compound, in cymes, in clusters, in spikes, in corymbs, in 

 capitules or in umbels. — 25 genera. 



Affinities. — The Umhelliferce have affinities, chie^jhj the AraUece, 

 with the Cornacece, the Ruhiacece and the Bhamnacece, The herbaceous 

 types, with compound and decompound leaves and inflorescences in 

 compound umbels appear clearly distinct, even in their external 

 characters, from these famihes. Not so those with simple leaves and 

 fleshy fruit as are a great many Araliece. Between these and the 

 Cornacece the only absolute difl'erence is the position of the raphe, 

 dorsal in the Cornacece, ventral in the Umhelliferce, Among the 

 Ruhiacece, there are analogues of the Cornacem which differ only by 

 their gamopetalous corolla ; but it is the Samhucinece which, with their 

 simple or compound leaves, drupaceous fruit and descending ovules, 

 most closely resemble either the Cornem or the Araliece. In like 

 manner the Umbelliferous types differ from the Bhamnacece in general 

 appearance. But there are many genera of the group Hijclrocotylem, 

 whose habit, fohage and down become those of Pomaderris or neigh- 

 bouring genera.^ The flower must then be analyzed to see that it 

 has neither the oppositipetalous stamens, nor the ascending ovules of 

 these BhamnacecB ; but these traits prove a certain affinity between 

 the two groups. 



^ Aralice J. Gen. 217. — Araliacece J. Diet. Sc. 931, Ord. ^l.—HederacecBBAB.T'L. Ord. Nat. 237. 



Nat. ii. 348.— DC. Prodr. iv. 251, Ord. 83.— —Seem. Jowm. 5o^. ii.-vi. 

 Endl. Gen. 792, Ord. 163.— Lindl. lutrnd. ed. 2, 2 g^e Adansonia, v. 261. 



25; Veff. Kingd. 780, Ord. 297.~B. H. Goi. 



