a98 UMBELLILER^. [Daucu^. 



— Vern, Zira, zira sufed. (Cumin.)— There is no reliable information as to 

 the extent to which this plant is cultivated in India. The only official 

 mention of its being- grown at all within the area of this flora is to he 

 found in the Gazetteers of the Agra and Furakhahad districts, and in both 

 these instances, it is very probable that some other plant is intended. The 

 vernacular name, zira or jira, is also applied to the Carraway (Carum 

 Carui), whilst the Icalajira (Nigella sativa) is also grown in many parts of 

 India, and its seeds are used for similar purposes. The similarity of 

 vernacular names may thus account for many conflicting statements. The 

 fruits of cumin are largely imported into India by way of Persia. In 

 Engl, and Prantl Pflanzenf, Vol. iii, part 8, the plant is said to be wild in 

 Egypt, the Mediterranean region and in Tiirkestan. In the Saharanpur 

 bazar the seeds of Fiantago pumila, WiUd. are sold under the r.ame of ziro. 

 as a substitute for cumiv, and Hoyle (I.e.) mentions having raised plants 

 of trie former from seed bought in the bazar. The fruits of cumin resemble 

 very much those of the Carrairay, but they are larger and of a lighter 

 colour, and each half of t1ie frnit has nine ridges instead of five. They are 

 muclv valued by the natives for theiu medicinal properties. 



11. DAUCUS, Linn. ; Fl. Brit. lud. ii, 718. 



Annual or biennial herbs, usually hispid. Leaves 2-4-pinnate, 

 ultimate segments narrow or small. Umbels compound, rays usu- 

 ally many, pinnate ; bracts generally very many, bracteoles many, 

 3-fid., entire or 0. Calyx-teeth small or obsolete. Petals obovate. 

 emarginate, white, outer often radiant. Fruit elliptic, terete' c-r 

 ■somewbat dorsally compressed, ridges all prominent, all or the 

 secondary only bristly, lateral primary little developed ; vittcB 

 solitary, under the secondary ridges, carpophore undivided or 2-fid. 

 Seed "l-terete, dorsally subcompressed, inner face plane. — Species 

 mostly Mediterranean and temp. Asiatic, 2 in N. Amer. Jind 1 

 Australian. 



D. Carota, Linn.; Roxl., Fl. Ind. ii, 90; W, Sf A. Trod. 374; Royle III. 

 229 ; F. B. I. ii, 718 ; Field ^ Gard. Crops part iii, 9, t. Ixxviii ; Watt 

 E. D.— Vern. Gajar (The Carrot.)— A hispid herb, 1-4 ft. high. Leaves 

 2-'3-pinnate ; pinnae pinnatifid, segments narrow-lanceolate. Outer rays 

 connivent in fruit; hracteoles many, 3-fid and simple. Fruit ^-'^ in.; 

 bristles of secondary ridges long, glistening white, connate at base only, 

 of the primary ridges small, subglochidiate, carpophore undivided. The 

 carrot is extensively grown within the area as 'a cold' weather crop. 

 The acclimatized variety as grown by the natives for their own use has a 

 large greenish-white root, coarse and flavourless. It is, however, hardy 

 and prolific, and on this account has proved of inestimable value as an 

 emergent food-crop during times of scarcity. Excellent carrots are 

 nevertheless obtainable in India from annually imported seed. The 

 plant is found wild in Europe, and extends through W. Asia westwards^ 

 to Kashmir and along the Himalayan ranges within the temperate zone. 



