19G 
CLASS PENTANDRIA. 
fringed gentian is a beautiful plant with a blue flower. This 
genus sometimes presents an irregularity in the number of sta- 
mens. The pigweed, (Chenopodium,) notwithstanding the low 
esteem in which it is usually held, you will see, is dignified with 
a long and high sounding name. Shakspeare says, “A rose, by 
any other name would smell as sweet so, notwithstanding its 
great name, the pigweed is a very uninteresting plant ; it is 
grouped by natural characters with the beet and dock, flowers 
which are destitute of beauty. 
The Umbellate plants which belong to the order and class we 
are now considering, have already been described under the 12th 
class of Jussieu’s arrangement ; having dicotyledonous seeds, and 
stamens epigynous or standing upon the germ. They have five 
stamens, five petals, and two styles. The fruit divides perpen- 
dicularly into two seeds, which hang from the top of a thread 
shaped receptacle. Parsley, fennel, &c belong to this natural 
family. The water cow -bane, (Cicuta virosa,) grows in ponds 
and marshes, and is a deadly poison. Cows are often killed in 
the spring by eating it ; but as the summer advances, the smell 
becomes stronger, and they carefully avoid it. Linnaeus relates, 
that in a tour made into Lapland for scientific purposes, he was 
told of a disease among the cattle of Torneo, which killed a 
great many of them in the spring, when they first began to feed 
in the pastures. The inhabitants were unable to account for this 
circumstance; but the Swedish botanist, examining the pastures, 
discovered a marsh where the Cicuta virosa grew in abundance ; 
he acquainted the people with the poisonous qualities of the 
plant, and thus enabled them to provide against the danger, by 
fencing in the marsh. 
In the same family is the Poison-Hemlock, (Coxium macu- 
latum ,) which has a peculiarly unpleasant, nauseous smell ; its 
stalk is large and spotted, from whence its specific name macu- 
la, turn, which signifies spotted. This plant is supposed to be the 
poison so fatally administered by the Athenians to Socrates and 
Phocion. 
Before we leave the Umbellate plants, as they are not so sim- 
ple of analysis as many others, we will present you with a draw- 
ing, which may assist you in understanding their general char- 
acter. 
We have here a sketch of the Coriander : — 
1. Calyx. This is of that kind called an involucrum ; the leaves which 
you see at the foot of the universal umbel , form what is called the gen- 
eral involucrum ; the leaves, which are at the foot of the partial umbel, 
form a partial involucrum. Both of these involucrums are pinnatifid 
or have the leaves divided. 
Fringed gentian — Pigweed — Umbellate plants — character of these plants 
— Water Cowbane — Poison Hemlock — Analysis of Coriander. 
