BOTANY AS APPLIED TO VETERINARY SCIENCE. 
17 
a double, fleshy disc; styles two, distinct; stigmas simple; 
fruit consisting of two carpels, separable from a common 
axis, to which they adhere by their face {the commissure ); 
each carpel traversed by elevated ridges , of which five are 
primary, and four, alternating with them, secondary ; the 
ridges are separated by channels, below which are often placed 
in the substance of the pericarp certain linear receptacles of 
coloured, oily matter, called bittae. Herbaceous plants, with 
fistular. furrowed stems ; leaves usually sheathing at the base ; 
flowers in umbels. “ The flowers growing in umbels , the su¬ 
perior petals turned in at their points, and the inferior fruit, 
which splits into halves, commonly called seeds, are of them¬ 
selves sufficient to distinguish this order.”— Lindley . To this 
very important natural order belong many plants of much 
interest and value, both in medicine and domestic economy, 
some also being poisonous plants. Classed under this order 
among the plants used as food and in domestic economy, we 
find, not only the “ carrot ” and the parsnip,” but also our 
common celery” ( Apium graveolens), and parsley ” ( Petro - 
selinum sativum), &c. Amongst the medicinal plants are 
the 66 hemlock ” {Conium maculatum), “ aniseed ” {Pimpinetta 
anisum), “ fennel” {Foeniculum vulgare ), and several others 
which yield valuable gum-resins. Among the plants which 
have proved poisonous to man and animals—which I shall 
again refer to when considering this part of my subject—will 
be found the (( water dropwort” {JEnanthe crocata ), ££ fool’s 
parsley” {JEthusa cynapium ), “ hemlock ” {Conium maculatum), 
and the “ cowbane, or water hemlock” {Cicuta virosa), &c., 
&c.; these latter being chiefly found in damp situations. 
This is one of the natural orders to which 1 would direct 
especial attention, as being likely to be brought under 
the notice of the veterinary surgeon, and an acquaintance 
with which may prove to him of great practical utility. It 
cannot be expected that, amidst the many important duties 
which attend and occupy^ the time and attention of our pro¬ 
fessional life, nor is it necessary, that we should make our¬ 
selves familiar with the somewhat minute and difficult divisions 
into which plants belonging to this and other natural orders 
have been classed, and which can only be obtained by a 
constant application to this particular subject. But if we 
make ourselves familiar with the great primary and secondary 
divisions into which, according to the Linnean system, the 
vegetable kingdom is divided, and the leading characters of 
the different natural orders under which the great variety of 
plants are described, we shall find little difficulty, when called 
upon, by a reference to some standard work upon the sub- 
xxxv. 2 
