192 



UMBELLfFER^ 



central axis or carpophore, which is often Y-shaped, and from 

 which, as they ripen, they separate from below upward. The 

 fruit is often flattened, either dorsally, from front to back, that is, 

 or in a direction at right angles to the commissure, so that this 

 lateral plane is broad, or laterally, from side to side, or in a 

 direction parallel to the commissure, which is, therefore, narrow. 

 Each carpel or meriearp is marked by vertical ridges, normally 9 

 in number, 5 primary, usually the more prominent, and 4 secondary 

 alternating with them. Of the 5 primary ridges, the 2 nearest 

 the commissure are termed lateral, and are often expanded into 

 wings ; the midrib down the back of the carpel is the carinal or 

 dorsal ridge ; and the two to the right and left of it are called 

 the intermediate ridges. The spaces between the primary ridges 



Diagram Section of Fruit of Umbellifer. f, commissure ; dr, dorsal or carinal ridge ; 

 ir, intermediate ridge ; Ir, lateral ridge ; pr, primary ridge ; sr, secondary ridge ; /, furrow ; 

 v, vitta ; sv, solitary vitta ', cv, commissural vitta ;Js, flat seed ; gs, grooved seed. 



are called furrows. In the wall of the fruit there are often 

 long narrow sacs called vitta or stripes containing coloured 

 essential oil. They generally occur between the ridges, rarely in 

 them. Normally there are 6 in each carpel, 4 between the 

 primary ridges and 2 in the commissural face ; but instead of 

 being thus solitary in each furrow, they may be 2, 3, or more 

 together, or they may be fewer in number. There is one pendulous 

 seed in each carpel, containing horny albiimen and it is import- 

 ant to notice whether it is flat or grooved along the side facing 

 the commissure. The ridges, vittae, and seeds are best examined 

 by a lens on a cross section of a fruit ; the so-called Caraway-seed, 

 for instance, which is, accurately speaking, a meriearp or carpel. 

 The order being, as has been said, a very natural one, its genera 

 agree in almost all their more obvious characters, and can only be 

 accurately discriminated by minute differences, chiefly in the ripe 



