ORDER TRIGYNIA. 
197 
2. Corolla, this is represented as magnified, you can see that it has live 
petals inflected, or bent inwards. 
3. Stamens, five, anthers somewhat divided. 
4. Pistils, two reflected, or bent back, as may be seen on the seeds, 
where the stigmas are permanent. 
5. Pericarp, is wanting, as in all umbellate plants. 
6. Seed, is round, with its two styles at the summit. 
7. Stem, is herbaceous, branched. 
8. Leaves, narrow, pinnatifid. 
9. Flowers, terminal, umbelled.* 
We have before remarked that the form of the seeds is of importance, iri 
distinguishing the genera of the umbellate plants; we therefore give you, 
in the drawing, examples of the seeds of several plants. 
The umbellate plants, although in some cases poisonous, sup- 
ply us with valuable vegetables for food; as the parsnip, carrot, 
and celery. The roots and stalks of the Angelica, in Green- 
land, where they have but a scanty supply of food, are eaten and 
considered as a great delicacy. 
Dill, fennel, coriander, and carraway, are used in confectiona- 
ry, and are also made subservient to many valuable medicinal 
purposes. 
The milk-weed ( asclepias ) is by many writers placed here; 
but as its five stamens secin evidently situated upon the pistil, 
the genus is properly placed in the fifth order of the class Gyn- 
andria. 
TRIGYNIA. 
This order contains the elder, (Sambucus,) a shrub, which 
with its clusters of delicate white flowers, ornaments the fields dur- 
ing the summer. From the appearance of the blossom you might 
suppose it to be unbelliferous ; the stalks do at first radiate from 
one common centre, but afterwards they are unequally subdivi- 
ded ; this arrangement of flowers is called a cyme. The dark 
rich purple berries of the elder, and the peculiarity of its pithy 
stem, are among its distinguishing natural characters. 
The snow-ball, (Viburnum,) has a natural affinity with the 
elder : the flowers in its cymes are more thickly clustered togeth- 
er. Both are distinguished by their flat corollas ; which are 
somewhat like a flat round piece of paper, with five divisions 
notched on the border. The only generic difference between the 
•The description of this plant is given on the authority of Nuttall who 
calls it the American coriander, which he says is found in the neighbour- 
hood of the Red River. The cultivated coriander has but a one leafed in- 
volucrum. 
Umbellate plants used for food — For confectionary and medicine — Order 
Trigynia — Elder — Snowball. 
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