UMBELLIFER^-PARSLEY FAMILY 



A family of herbs whose flowers have so marked a resemblance 

 that the species are chiefly distinguished by the form of the fruit, 

 and the oil tubes in the seeds. 



The flowers are small; made on the plan of five; the calyx ad- 

 herent to the ovary. There are five minute calyx teeth or none, 

 five petals, five stamens, a two-celled ovary, and two styles. The 

 dry fruit usually splits into two seed-like akenes. The flowers 

 are usually borne in compound umbels; the circle of bracts often 

 present at the base of the large umbel is the involucre. The stems 

 are usually hollow, the leaves alternate, commonly compound 

 or decompound. Eryngium is an exception to the type, having 

 flowers in heads instead of umbels. 



Carrot, Celery, Parsnip, and several Sweet Herbs belong to 

 this family. 



WILD CARROT. QUEEN ANNE'S LACE 



Daucus carbta. 

 Daucus, the ancient Greek name of the carrot. Meaning obscure. 



The Wild Carrot, often called Queen Anne's Lace, is believed to be 

 the. reversion of the cultivated carrot to a weed. Biennial. Europe. 



Midsummer. 



Slem. — Hollow, two to three feet high, hairy, branching. 

 Leaves. — Tripinnate, yellowish-green; segments linear, pointed. 

 Flowers. — Small, white, borne in double compound umbels; outer 

 florets the largest; in the centre of the umbel one dark maroon floret. 

 Fruit. — Short, splits in two when ripe ; prickles in rows on the ribs. 



Two herbs, weeds by every count, without one redeeming trait 

 from the farmer's stand-point, with not one justification when 



328 



