UMBELLIFER.E. 
185 
and stamens are inserted ; 2-celled : ovules soli- 
tary. Styles 2, distinct : stigmata simple. Fruit 
ot 2 carpels, called mericarps, cohering by their 
inner surface ( the commissure s), separating when 
ripe; each carpel marked longitudinally with 5 
primary ribs, and often with 5 intermediate : in 
the interstices between the ribs are placed the 
oil-tubes (vittce), which are longitudinal canals 
in the substance of the fruit, containing aromatic 
oil. Seeds solitary, suspended from the summit 
of the cell, anatropous : embryo minute, in a hard 
horn like albumen. 
Herbaceous plants: stems usually hollow : leaves al- 
ternate, mostly compound. Flowers in umbels which 
are usually compound and provided with involucres. — 
Natives principally of the Northern hemisphere. The 
following species have become naturalized and are found 
growing wild in the higher mountains, particularly in 
Coffee-pieces: 1. Daucus carota, the carrot ; 2. Pe- 
troselinum sativum, the parsley, and 3. Pastinacia sa- 
tiva, the parsnip. The last mentioned, is collected for the 
purpose of feeding rabbits. 
I. IIydrocotyle. 
Calycine teeth obsolete. Fruit flattened late- 
rally, orbicular or shield-shaped : carpels 5-ribbed, 
with the two lateral ribs enlarged and often form- 
ing a thickened margin : oil-tubes none. 
Name, from water, and xoruXr] vessel, from the leaves 
being round and depressed in the centre, so as to hold a 
drop of water. — Marsh aquatic plants. 
1. Hydrocotyle umbellata. Penny-wort . 
Glabrous, leaves peltate orbiculate emarginate 
at the base duplicato-crenated frequently 11-12- 
nerved, scape rather shorter than the petiole, um- 
bels 20-30-flowered, flow r ers distinct pedicelled. 
VOL. 2. M * 
