UMBELLIFER^. 147 



aud in Palestine. It is also native to Soutli America, and along the western 

 coast as far north as southern California. Watson, in his '* Flora of Califor- 

 nia," speaks of it as very rare, but says it is found in the salt marshes down 

 the coast. 



Etfjvwloyii. — Apiiuii is traced to the Celtic word upon, water, due to the 

 habitat of the plant, which is in wet places. Graveolens, the specific name, is 

 from the Latin gravis, heavy, and oleo, smell, whence " heavy smell," or " strong 

 smell," on account of tlie peculiar odor of the plant. Celery, the common 

 name, is a corruption of the Greek word <t4\ivov, par.sley. 



History. — We do not know where or when the celery was first used as a 

 table vegetable. It was known to the ancient Greeks and Romans, and is 

 mentioned by Theophrastus, Dioscorides, and Tliny. It was also u.sed by the 

 ancient Egyptians. 



Cultiration. — The seed is sown like a cabbage-seed; and when the plants 

 are from three to six inches high, they are pricked out in beds. In August 

 they are .set in well fertilized trenches, about 8 to 12 inches apart in the row, 

 and allowed to grow till October, at which time a number of long-stalked 

 leaves are developed ; these are then held together to prevent the earth from 

 getting among them, and banked, and thus left to bleach till frost appear.s, 

 when they are ready for the table. 



Use. — Celery is the most delicate and highly esteemed of all salads in use. 

 When properly blanched, the leaf-stalks are a delicate creamy white, and the 

 flavor is greatly admired. It is either served in this form and eaten with salt 

 or with prepared dressing ; occasionally it is cooked and eaten with a vinegar 

 dressing. The Turnip-rooted variety is cooked and eaten witli salad dress- 

 ings. It is used also for flavoring soups and gravies. Its medicinal prop- 

 erties are said to be diuretic and tonic, producing biliary secretion, and it is 

 recommended for rheumatism. The Egyptians used it to prevent aud to cure 

 sea-sickness. 



PIMPINELLA, L. (Anise.) Cal\T?: limb indistinct, teeth wanting; 

 petals white, obcordate, unequal, notched, flowers usuajiv perfect, but 

 sometimes the stamens and pistils are on different flowers. Styles 

 long and slender. Bracts of involucre few, small or wanting. Leaves 

 decompound. Fruit egg-shaped, ribbed, with convex intervals. Peren- 

 nial iierb. 



P. anisum, L. Stem 2 feet high ; branches slender : lower leaves roundish- 

 heart-shaped, cut into three lobes by deep incisions ; leaves on the middle 

 and upper parts of the stem pinnate, parts wedge-shaped ; umbels large and 

 loose ; stalks of the umbellets unequal in length ; flowers yellowish-white, 

 appearing in July. 



There are many species, but the anisum is the one under cultivation for the 

 production of the oil of anise. 



Geography. — The ani.se seeds of commerce are produced in Egypt, Syria, 

 in the i.^^land of Malta, and in Spain, and in late years the plant has been 

 largely cultivated in Southern Germany. It has worked its way east of Syria 

 to Hindustan, and to Japan. The best seed is brought from Egypt. The 

 plant is supposed to be indigenous to Egypt, Asia Minor, and the Greek 

 Islands. 



Etymology. — PimpineUa is a corruption of bipinnate, due to the divisions 

 of its leaf. Anisum is from the Greek word avS/xotoi, unequal, the ancient 



