50. CLASS-BOOK OF BOTANY, 
12. ParsLey (Carwm petroselinum). 
This plant may be taken as a type of a strongly-character- 
ized group called wmbelliferous (2.e., umbel-bearing) plants : ik 
has the advantage of being found in every garden. 
Note the herbaceous habit, the strong rank odour (espe- 
cially when the plant is crushed), the grooved stems, and the 
alternate much-divided leaves. These are tri-pinnate; the 
main petiole bearing a secondary set of petiolules, and these a, 
third on which the leaflets are pinnately arranged. | They are 
mostly radical, springing from near the base of the plant, and 
their petiole forms a sheath to the stem. Of course, in Parsley, 
cultivation has tended to make the leaves very compound, as 
the plant has been improved (from the cultivator’s point of 
view) by always selecting the most curled varieties; so that 
we here see a natural tendency to subdivision of the leaflets 
greatly exaggerated by artificial selection. 
The small flowers are arranged in a very characteristic 
form of inflorescence. ach flower has a short pedicel, and 
from 10 to 20 of these spring from the apex of one common 
stalk or peduncie. These, again, are similarly arranged on 
the apex of the branches. Such an inflorescence is called a 
compcund umbel (each of the smaller groups being a simple 
umbel), and it gives its name to the whole group of plants 
characterized by possessing it. Note that the leaves on the 
flowering-stems become more and more reduced in size and 
number of leaflets the higher up they go. Under each umbel 
is a circle, or involucre,* of very small leaves (bracts) ; and 
again under each secondary umbel is another circle, called in 
this case an involucel. The peduncles, or primary rays 
of the umbel, are about din. long, while the pedicels, or 
secondary rays, vary from ;in. to fin. All of these be- 
come longer alter the flower has withered and as the fruits are 
approaching maturity. 
Examine the flowers with eare, and com- 
pare them with the fruit. In the former it 1s 
diffieulé to make out the calyx completely, 
put in the latter it is seen that the tube 1s 
adnate to the ovary, the limb being only 
developed as a slight ring. ‘The 5 petals are 
placed on the top of the ovary, at the margin 
of the calyx-tube (=epigynoust adhesion), 
: and have their tips inflexed towards as 
Fig. 73. Flower of centre of the flower. The 6 aaeier Mee 
Parsley (long, Stand alternately with the petals, ar 
: t * 
section). curved inwards; the anther-cells are very 
pt pen eee oe 
* Lat, involucrum, a wrapper. aie 
+ Gr. epi, upon—the gyncecium or pistil. 
