506 UMBELLIFER^. 



tootlied or entire. Petals 5, inserted on the outside of a fleshy epi- 

 gynous disk, often with inflexed points (figs. 306, p. 201 ; 720). 

 Stamens 5, alternate with the petals, incurved in sestivation (figs. 720, 

 721, 723). Ovary inferior, 2-ceUed, crowned with a double disk or 

 stylopod (fig. 721 ge); ovules solitary, pendulous; styles 2, distinct (fig. 

 550 s s, p. 306) ; stigma simple. Fruit (figs. 722, 723) a cremocarp 

 (p. 311), consisting' of two achsenia (mericarps or hemicarps), which 

 adhere by their face (commissure) to a common axis (carpophore), 

 from which they separate, and are suspended when ripe (figs. 550 a, p. 

 306; 725); each mericarp is traversed "by five primary longitudinal 

 ridges (juga), and often by four alternating secondary ones, the ridges 

 being separated by channels (valleculse). In the substance of the 

 pericarp there are frequently vittse containing oil, which are usually 

 opposite the channels. Seeds pendulous (fig. 723 g), usually adherent 

 to the pericarp, rarely loose ; embryo minute, at the base of abundant 

 horny albumen (fig. 723 e) ; radicle pointing to the hilum. — Herbace- 

 ous plants, often with hollow and furrowed stems, with alternate, 

 rarely opposite, variously divided, sheathing leaves (which sometimes 

 assume the appearance of phyllodia), and with umbellate, involucrate 

 flowers (fig. 262, p. 179). They are found chiefly in the northern 

 parts of the northern hemisphere. In warm countries they occur at 

 high elevations. The order has been divided according to the number 

 and size of the pericarpial ridges, the presence or absence of vittse, and 

 the form of the albumen. The following sections are given by old 

 authors, but they are not sufficiently definite for the purpose of classi- 

 fication :■ — 1. Orthospermse (ogShi, straight, and evi^i/ta, seed), albumen 

 flat on the inner face, neither involute nor convolute. 2. Campylo- 

 spermaa {Ka/j.rjXos, inflected), albumen curved at the margins, so as to 

 form a longitudinal furrow. 3. Ccelospermee (xo/Aof, concave), albu- 

 men curved at the ends (from base to apex). The following are the 

 sections now adopted : — 1. Heterosciadese, umbels simple, vittse in 

 valleculsB 0. 2. Haplozygise ; umbels compoimd, primary ridges of 

 the fruit alone conspicuous ; vittse in valleculse very rarely absent. 

 3. Diplozygise ; umbels compound, primary and secondary ridges on 

 the fruit, valleculse thickened above the vittse. Authors enumerate 

 160 genera, including about 1300 species. Examvples — 1. Heterosciadece 

 ('irigog, diverse, sxia, shade) — Hydrocotyle, Sanicula, Eryngium, 

 Astrantia. 2. Haplozygice (a'TrXoog, single, and ^tiyov, a yoke)- — Oonium, 

 Apium, Oarum, CEnanthe, Narthex, Heracleum. 3, Bvplomjgim 

 {dmXoog, double) — Coriandrum, Caucus. 



The properties of the plants of this order are various. Some yield 

 articles of diet, others gum-resinous and oUy substances, while others 

 are highly poisonous. According to their qualities, the species have 

 been divided into — 1. Those which are harmless, and are used as 

 esculent vegetables. 2. Those producing a gum-resin, often having a 



