355 



Section 2. — Polypetal^. 



Ovary inferior. 



Stamens usually perigy nous ^ or sometimes on an epigynous 

 dish. 



THE UMBEL, IVY, AND DOGWOOD ALLIANCE. 

 The Umbel Family. 



(Umbellifer^.) 



Herbs, generally with hollow flower-stems, or rarely per- 

 manent shrubby, branching, or single tree -like stems, having 

 alternate leaves, generally lobed, and much divided into nume- 

 rous segments, sheathing at the base. Flowers in umbels, 

 generally furnished with universal and partial involucrae. 

 Petals 5, seated on an epigynous disk. Fruit consisting of 2 

 one-seeded flat carpels united by a common axis, separating 

 when mature ; they are traversed by ridges called vittse, con- 

 taining oil. 



An extensive family, containing more than 1500 species, 

 chiefly natives of temperate countries of the Northern hemi- 

 sphere and elevated regions within the Tropics ; they are 

 represented in the Southern hemisphere in the form of shrubs. 

 The only tree representatives are Monizia edulis and Melano- 

 selinum decurrens, natives of Madeira. Three distinct pro- 

 perties pervade the family — viz., acrid and poisonous, aro- 

 matic and wholesome, or milky and resinous. 



Carrot {Daucus Carota). A biennial, native of Britain ; 

 in its wild state it is found by roadsides and in waste places. 

 It has a dry, slender root, which is not edible ; but it is 

 generally believed that the cultivated garden carrot originated 

 from it. The carrot was known to the Romans, and is 

 supposed to have been introduced to this country from Hol- 

 land about three hundred years ago. The juice is used 

 for colouring cheese. 



Parsnip (Pastinaca sativa). A native of Britain, found 

 growing in waste places; like the carrot, it is inedible in 

 A A 2 



