XXXVIII. UMBELI.IFER.iE. 
165 
Ord. XXXVIII. UMBELLIFER2E 1 Juss. 
(See Tabs. I.— III.) 
Calyx adherent with the ovary, 5-toothed ; teeth minute, 
often obsolete. Corolla of 5 petals , sometimes very unequal, 
the outer ones the largest. Stamens 5, alternate with the petals, 
inserted on the under side of a thick fleshy disk, at the base of 
the styles. Styles 2. Achenes or carpels 2, combined, attached 
near the apex to a central axis, usually separating when ripe. 
Seed solitary, pendulous. Embryo minute, in the base of a 
horny albumen. — Herbs. Leaves alternate generally compound 
and embracing the stem with their sheathing bases. Flowers in 
umbels. — This order contains many poisonous plants, especially 
such species as grow in watery places ; numerous esculent and 
aromatic ones, usually inhabiting dry situations. Several yield 
gum-resins ; as assafcelida, galbanum, and ammoniac , but the 
plants themselves are not well ascertained. 
I. Umbels simple or imperfectly compound. s 
* Vittai 0. Albumen solid. 
1. FIydrocotyle. Fruit flat, of two nearly orbicular carpels, naked. 
Calyx-teeth obsolete. 
2. Sanicula. Fruit roundish, without ribs, densely clothed with 
hooked prickles. Calyx-teeth leafy. 
2 s . Astrantia. Fruit roundish, with plicate dentate ribs. Calyx-teeth 
leafy. 
3. Eryngium. Fruit roundish, without ribs, densely clothed with chaffy 
scales. Calyx-teeth leafy. 
** Fruit with vittce. Albumen furrowed or involute at the suture. 
39. Torilis. 
1 In this extensive, important, and perfectly natural group, the genera which 
compose it are with difficulty distinguished the one from the other. The parts on 
which the marks of distinction depend are minute; and in vain will the student 
hope to make himself master of the subject without devoting his earnest attention 
to it, and carefully examining the structure of the flowers, and more especially of 
the fruit. This latter consists of two single-seeded indehiscent pericarps or carpels, 
as they may be conveniently called, eventually separating, each with its style, and 
for a time suspended by a central, filiform, and generally bipartite aiis, or carpo- 
phore (Tab. I. f. 11. a, and Tab. III. f. 33. a). They are variously shaped, and 
marked with longitudinal ribs or ridges. The number of these ribs upon each 
carpel is five (Tab. I. f. 6. a. b, &c.), more or less apparent, sometimes obliterated . 
Within the coat of the carpels, generally in the interstices between the ribs, are 
often longitudinal ducts, or canals, called vittce ( Tab. I. f. 13. b), replete witli an 
oily or resinous substance, and usually coloured ; so that they are sometimes visible 
without dissection (Tab. II. f. 27. a, b). The albumen is either furrowed (Tab. III. 
f. 34. c, 3fi. b. Ac.), or involute on its inner face or suture (Tab. 111. f. 3 ‘ 1 . b, 33. 
b, 38. Ac.), or neither, when it is said to be solid (Tab. I. f. 4. h, 3. c, &c.). 
2 The fruits of all the genera are represented in Tabs. I.— III., the numbers of 
the genera indicating the figures in these plates. 
