Order Lxxix
UMBELLIFERÆ. 1109 Gastónia Juss. 2166 Pánax W.
One of the least attractive groups of plants, and at the same time one of the most important to the world. They are not more useful as food than they are dangerous as poison; while in their native ditches they are often suspicious lurid weeds, but under the influence of cultivation they lay aside their venom, and become wholesome food for man. They are generally recognised by their hollow stems and cut leaves, with what botanists call a sheathing petiole; that is to say, with a petiole, the base of which wraps round the stem .
Their flowers are mostly white or greenish, rarely, as in Astrántia, some species of Caúcalis, and others, of a pink color. The inflorescence is umbellate, and their fruit consists of two ribbed portions, improperly called seeds, which are held together by a common axis, and a thickened discus. All are natives of damp ditches or way-sides, in cool parts of the world; in the tropics they are either extremely rare or wholly unknown, and when present, have generally a character unlike that of our European species. The simplicity of their structure, and uniformity of their appearance, has rendered their classification a matter of very great difficulty.
It has been attempted in modern days by Lagasca, Sprengel, and Koch, all of whom have added something to our knowledge; but much still remains to be done. The arrangement of Professor Sprengel, objectionable as it is many points, is here adopted as the most perfect, upon the whole, of any yet published. The culinary and agricultural importance of many species is well known; the parsnep and carrot form a large part of the staple winter store of the inhabitants of Europe, as the Arracachas do of those of South America; and the Prangos of Thibet is supposed to be the most important and productive of any in the whole world, as a forage plant. The medicinal properties of Umbelliferæ are not more powerful than they are at variance with each other. While the seeds of some are aromatic, and stimulating in the highest degree, the fresh roots and leaves of others are not less narcotic. This has been supposed to arise from the difference in the state of the sap in different parts of the plant; and it has been thought that the narcotic principle is only to be found in the ascending sap, while the aromatic stimulant properties are found in the juices, which are fully elaborated and matured. It has been already observed, that their dangerous properties are often removed by cultivation; the common celery is a familiar instance of this; but the most remarkable, that of Enanthe pimpinelloídes, a most dangerous species when wild, which is cultivated about Angers for the sake of its roots, which are there called Jouanettes, and about Saumur, where they are known by the name of Méchons . The roots of some Umbelliferæ contain a large proportion of sugar; those of the carrot, when dried, more than an eighth; those of the parsnep just an eighth; and those of the chervil about eight parts in 100. Galbanum, Opopanax, and Assafœtida, are all the produce of different species of Umbelliferæ. Tribe 1. DESCISCENTES. 2165 Arctópus W. 548 Lagöécia W. 622 Erýngium W. 624 Echinóphora W. 644 Actinótus Lab. 623 Sanícula W. 637 Dóndia Spreng. 674 Astrántia W.
Tribe 2.
Tribe 2. HYDROCOTYLINE. 658 Hydrocótyle W. 659 Spanánthe Jacq.
Tribe 3. BUPLEURINE. 657 Bupleúrum W. 2147 Hérmas W.
Tribe 4. PIMPINELLEE. 635 Pimpinella W. 629 Ledebúria Lk. 642 Séseli W. 647 Síson W. 652 Ægopódium W. 655 Cárum W. 656 Cnídium Cuss. 651 A'pium W. 632 Œnánthe W. 653 Méum Jacq. 636 Phellándrium W. 650 Smýrnium W. 633 Crithmum W. 660 Ulospermum Lk. 626 Caúcalis W. 625 Daúcus W.
NATURAL ARRANGEMENT. 677 Cáchrys W.
Tribe 5. SMYRNIEÆ. 648 Cicúta W. 678 Hippomárathrum Lk. 661 Æthúsa W. 618 Coriándrum W. 627 Tórilis Gært.
Tribe 6. CAUCALINEÆ. 628 Olivéria Vent. 634 Athamánta W. 638 Trachyspermum Lk.
Tribe 7. SCANDICINEE. 666 Hasselquístia W. 673 Tordýlium W. 640 Búbon W. 631 Búnium W. 676 Rúmia Hoffm. 621 Chærophyllum P. S. 620 Anthríscus P. S. 619 Scandix P. S. 630 Mýrrhis P. S.
Tribe 8.
Tribe 8. AMMINEE. 639 A'mmi W. 641 Cúminum. 646 Síum W. 665 Ligústicum W. 645 Trínia Hoffm. 669 Laserpítium W. 663 Selínum W. 670 Peucedanum W. 672 Herácleum W. 649 Cónium W.
Tribe 9. SELINEE. 675 Zosímia Hoffm. 671 Pastináca W. 668 Férula W. 664 Angélica W. 662 Imperatòria W. 643 Thápsia W. 667 Artédia W. 654 Anéthum W.
ORDER LXXX.
RHIZOPHOREÆ.
The mangroves are plants of arborescent stature, which are remarkable, in tropical countries, for growing upon the shores of the sea, even as far as low water. The seeds have the singular property of germinating, the shores of the sea, even as far as low water . The seeds have the singular property of germinating, while enclosed within the capsule, and adhering to their parent, and pushing forth a long thread-like radicle, which lengthens till it reaches the soil, where it takes root, and forms a new individual. The bark of Rhizophora gymnorhíza , which is very astringent, is used in India for dying black. 1078 Rhizóphora W.