UMBELLIFER^. 



133 



the fruit, oval or more or less didymous, otherwise resembles that of 

 Garum proper in its sohtary vittse. The face of the seed is flat or 

 slightly concave. What most generally distinguishes it at a glance 

 from Carum is the great development of the involucral bracts, which 

 are numerous and trisected. The involucels are also formed of 

 numerous bracteoles. They are perennial or biennial herbs of 

 Europe, the Mediterranean region and the north-western African 

 isles'. 



In Cicuta (fig. 123, 124), the calyx is more developed, and its 

 small folioles are pointed and incurved. The stylopods are depressed, 



Cicuta virosa. 



Fig. 123. Fruit (f). 



Fig. 124. Trans, sect, of fruit.' 



and the fruit becomes short, sometimes even wider than long, didy- 

 mous. Its transverse section is elliptic or nearly so, the shorter 

 diameter of the elhpse corresponding to the interlocular partition. 

 The primary ridges are formed by thick columns of the whitish tissue 

 called suberose ; the marginal are prismatic. Interposed there is an 

 equal number of wide vittse^ filled with odorous oil-resin. The face 

 of the seeds is flat or convex. They are perennial aquatic glabrous 

 herbs, having flowers collected in compound umbels, with involucres 

 formed of a few bracts or nil. They grow m the northern hemi- 

 sphere of both worlds. 



The genus Sium was one of the most heterogeneous. To, it have 

 been referred Carum, Apium, &c. It now comprises perennial glabrous 



