The Probert Encyclopaedia of Nature

UMBELLIFERAE

The Umbelliferae is a family of mostly herbaceous hardy plants which generally have flowers in regular compound umbels of small flowers with five petals and fistula furrowed stems. The fruit is composed of two dry, ridged carpels, often traversed by canals filled with pungent oils, and adherent to a central stalk,. They have jointed stems, the lengths between the nodes being usually hollow. The alternate leaves are occassionaly undivided, but mostly much dissected, the leaf stalk dilated at the base and clasping the stem.
Research Umbelliferae