THE PARSLEY ORDER 371 



ing exception is found in the carrot (Daucus) where there is 

 often a central flower destitute of essential organs. Such 

 a flower is described as neutral.^ 



The sepals are commonly reduced to small tooth-hke 

 projections, or they may be so united into a narrow ring as 

 to appear obhterated. The calyx-teeth do not touch in the 

 bud; hence their iestivation is said to be open:- More or 

 less irregularity of calyx and corolla occurs among the 

 outer flowers of an umbel, though most of the flowers are 

 but little if at all irregular. 



The two-carpelled, inferior ovary ripens into a dry fruit 

 which at maturity splits in halves, each half hanging from 

 the top of a continuation of the torus, as shown in Fig. 141 II. 

 Such a fruit is called a cremocarp.' It is like a schizocarp 

 except that it is the product of an inferior ovary. Each half 

 has several more or less pronounced ribs; and, in the waU, 

 parallel to the ribs, are often tubular reservoirs of volatile 

 oil giving a characteristic odor to the fruit. 



An odor similar to that of the fruit often pervades everj' 

 part so that from an immature specimen or only a fragment 

 it is often pos.sible to recognize these plants by their peculiar, 

 though indescribable, smell. 



The stems have the rare cliaracteristic of being hollow 

 even at the nodes. 



Herbs rich in volatile oil, but with watery sap; having leaves 

 exstipulate; flowers regular or 'irregular, mostly in compound 

 umbels, often involucrate; the petals and stamens five, the carpels 

 two, styles distinct; and the fruit a cremocarp — such are the 

 typical members of the familj^ 



119. The parsley order (Umbellales or Umbelliflorae) in- 

 cludes two other families which agree with the parsley family 

 in having mostly umbellate inflorescences of small, complete, 

 epigynous flowers, with the petals and, stamens distinct and 

 alternate, and the carpels with but a single ovule in each. 



For the formula of Umbellalles see pages 412, 413. 



1 Symbolized by the sign 6 . 



- Expressed in the formulas by S". 



^ Crem'o-carp < Gr. kremno, I hang; karpos, fruit. TC; < ^ 2. 



