112 __ FLOWERING PLANTS 
palmately lobed, not pinnately divided, as in the majority 
of the Umbellifer. Another Umbellifer, frequent in shady 
3 woods, is Sweet Cicely, which has 
remarkably long fruits. The plant is 
very fragrant. 
The leaves of Sea-Holly are thorny, 
a xerophytic characteristic (p. 11). 
~ The involucre and: the bract under 
each flower are all prickly. The in- 
florescence of the Sea-Holly is not an 
~—— umbel, but a cymose head of flowers. 
tye i Sea-Samphire has fleshy, succulent, 
much-divided leaves. Amongst those 
that are useful for food may be mentioned the Caraway, 
Fennel, and Pimpinella, which yield seeds that are rich in 
oil; the roots of the Carrot, Parsnip, and Celery (in this last 
_ the internodes also) are eaten as vegetables, whilst several of 
the Umbelliferee are useful as medicines. 
The Umbelliferee are markedly protandrous— 
that is to say, the andrecium develops before the 
gynecium. In some cases all the flowers of a whole inflores- 
cence will not protrude their styles and develop their stigmas 
until after this pollen has been shed. : 
Variety The variety of leaf-form in this Order is inter- 
of Leaf. esting, and shows adaptation to surroundings. 
Those which grow in hedges —e.g., Hedge-Parsley, Goutweed, 
Hogweed, etc.—have very divided leaves, so that the plant 
has every chance of getting light. Shore-plants have succu- 
lent or thorny leaves ; whilst Bupleurum, which inhabits stony 
wastes, has narrow, entire leaves, almost reduced to a stalk in 
some species, probably for the lessening of the transpiring 
surface. The entire, roundish leaves of Hydrocotyl serve a 
different purpose—they enable the plant to float. The stalk 
comes in the middle of the leaf, which is therefore called 
peltate. The same form of aquatic leaf is met with in aquatic 
plants of other Orders, as in the Water-Lily. 

Pollination. 

