CXIII. UMBELLIFER^, 469 



lateral colierent as a thick, almost corky, margin to the fruit. Vittse solitary in the furrows. 

 CEnanthe, ^ihusa, Siler, 8fo. 



Sub- tribe 5. Schultziem. — Fruit more or less dorsally compressed, ridges wingless, the 

 lateral hardly thickened. Vittse vai'ious or 0. Schultzia, Silaus, &c. 



Sub-tribe 6. Selmece. — Fruit dorsally compressed or sub-terete, primary ridges or the 

 carinal only produced into thickened wings ; wings equal, or the lateral broader. Meum, 

 Ligusticum, Aoiphylla, Selifium, Oymopterus, Anesorhiza, Pleurospermv/m, &c. 



Sub-tribe 7. AngeUoece. — Fruit dorsally compressed, dorsal and secondary ridges 

 wingless or obscurely winged, lateral expanded into broad membranous or corky wings. 

 Levistwum, Angelica, * Arehangelica, &c. 



TfiiBB VII. PEUCEDANEiE. — Fruit dorsally much compressed, lateral ridges dilated into 

 broad tumid or wing-like margins, those of the opposite carpels closely coherent, and appearing 

 as one till dehiscence. *Ferula, Dorema, Pewcedanum, Heradeum, Opojpanax, Maldbaila, 

 Tordylium, &o. 



Series III. DiPLOZTSiEa:. — Umbels compound. Furrows of the fruit thickened over the 

 vittsB, or famished with secondary ridges. 



Teibb VIII. GAircALiNBJi. — Fruit sub-terete, ridges obtuse or prickly, or dilated into lobed 

 or toothed wings. (Annuals or biennials.) *Goriandrvmi, *Gwminwn, *I)aucus, Caucalis, &o. 



Tribe IX. LASBEPiTiEai. — Fruit sub-terete or dorsally compressed ; secondary ridges all, or 

 the lateral only, much raised or winged. (Perennials, rarely biennials.) Laserpitmm, Thapsia, 

 Monieia, Elceoselmum, &c. — Ed.J 



UmbeUifera are allied to Araliacecs by the inflorescence, alternate leaves, polypetalous, epigynoua, 

 and isostemonous corolla, valvate in bud, the inverted and anatropous ovule, and the minute embryo 

 at the top of a copious albumen. Araliaceis difier only in their fruit, which is usually fleshy [and 

 often polycarpellary ; and conspicuously in habit]. Umhelliferts also approach Coniece (which see). 



flmbeUiferee principally belong to the northern hemisphere, where thsy inhabit temperate and cool 

 countries, especially the Mediterranean region and Central Asia. But few are met with in the torrid 

 zone, where they only grow on high mountains and near the sea, where the heat is moderate. 



Umbellifercs contain a great many species, some alimentary, others medicinal or poisonous. These 

 very difierent properties are due to principles which exist in various proportions either in the leaves, root 

 or fruit ; the roots principally contain resins or gum-resins ; the fruits possess a volatile oil in the 

 vittre of their pericarp or seed ; the leaves of some species are aromatic and spicy, of others narcotic and 

 acrid. Such VmbellifertB are good for food as have a suflicient quantity of sugar and mucilage united 

 to the hydro-carbon principles ; when the volatile oil predominates, as in the fruit of many, they become 

 a stimulating medicine, and an agreeable condiment. We will briefly mention the indigenous species 

 most remarkable for their properties, of this numerous family; — 



Cicutaria virosa (Water Hemlock). Root and stem with a yellowish very poisonous juice. Rarely 

 used in medicine, as the Spotted Hemlock. 



Apium graveolms. Root aromatic, bitter, acrid, aperient, as is the fruit. Celery is a cultivated 

 variety, of which the root and blanched petioles are used for food, and possess exciting quaUties. 



Petroselinum sativum (Parsley). Herb and root used as a sauce. The expressed juice is recom- 

 mended as an emollient and diuretic. 



^gopodium Poiagraria (Gout-weed). A stimulant, diuretic and vulnerary. 



Canm Carui (Caraway). A stimulating stomachic, employed in the North to flavour bread and 

 cheese. 



