In this article we will discuss about:- 1. General Features of the Umbelliferae 2. Floral Range in the Umbelliferae 3. Divisions 4. Number and Distribution 5. Commonly Occurring Plants 6. Economic Aspects.
General Features of the Umbelliferae:
Habit – Aromatic herbs with fistular stems.
Leaves – Alternate, dissected, exstipulate with a sheathing base.
Inflorescence – Simple or compound umbels.
Flowers – Bisexual, regular, epigynous with a disc.
Calyx – Sepals 5, united, toothed.
Corolla – Petals 5, free, unequal.
Androecium – Stamens 5, free’, anthers versatile.
Gynoecium – Carpels 2, syncarpous; ovary inferior, 2-locular; ovule 1 in each loculus, pendulous with a single integument and ventral raphe; styles 2; stigmas capitate.
Fruit – Cremocarp, dehiscim into two dry segments (mericarps) which are suspended from a slender biforked axis (carpophore); each mericarp is provided with longitudinal ridges (costae or jugae) and between two ridges are furrows (valleculae) which are traversed by oil ducts (vittae).
Seeds – Albuminous; embryo small.
Floral Range in the Umbelliferae:
The most distinguishing character of the Umbelliferae is the umbellate inflorescence. Although compound umbel is the commonest form of inflorescence, simple umbels are found in Astrcintia and Eryngium. In the species of Azorella, the umbel is reduced to a single flower. The flowers may be aggregated into dense heads, as in Eryngium. The terminal flower is seen in Daucus.
The flowers are generally bisexual. But unisexual flowers are noted in Echinophora where a central female flower is surrounded by male umbels. A dioecious condition is noticed in Arctopus. Torilis anthriscus is in possession of polygamous flowers. The flowers are usually white, sometimes yellow or pink and seldom blue.
The calyx is smaller than the corolla and is represented by inconspicuous teeth. But these structures are well developed in Astrantia, Eryngium, Sanicula, etc. The calyx has a slight imbricate aestivation, while the corolla has an open, valvate or imbricate.
Divisions of the Umbelliferae:
Based on stipule and fruit characters, the Umbelliferae is divided into three subfamilies:
Subfamily I. Apioideae:
Stipules absent. Endocarp soft or fibrous.
Vittae various, style at tip of a stylopodium. Examples: Apium, Coriandrum, Echinophore, Ferula, etc.
Subfamily II. Hydrocotyloideae:
Stipules present. Fruit with a woody endocarp and without a carpophore. Vittae absent or sunk in primary ridges only. Examples: Azorella and Centella.
Subfamily III. Saniculoideae:
Stipules absent. Endocarp soft. Vittae various. Style surrounded by a stylopodium. Examples: Astrantia, Eryngium, Sanicula, etc.
Number and Distribution of the Umbelliferae:
The Umbelliferae comprises about 300 genera and 2,500-3,000 species. Though the members of the family are represented in all continents, they are mostly abundant in the north temperate zone.
Commonly Occurring Plants of the Umbelliferae:
Celery [Apium graveolens L. var dulce (Mill.) DC.], Coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.), Cumin (Cuminum cyminum L.), Carrot (Daucus carota L. var. sativa DC.), Anise or Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.), Ajowan [Trachyspermum ammi (L.) Sprague ex Turrill] and T. roxburghianum (DC.) Craib are grown in India.
Bunium persicum (Boiss.) Fedts. is found in Kashmir.
Bupleurum mucronatum Wt. & Arn., occurring in Hazaribagh, Ranchi and Dehradun, is a weed with undivided leaves and yellow flowers.
Pennywort [Centella asiatica (L.) Urban] is a weed with simple undivided reniform crenate leaves.
Water Hemlock (Cicuta virosa L.) is a herb with straight hollow stems. Oenanthe javanica (Bl.) DC. is found in shady places near ditches and ponds.
Economic Aspects of the Umbelliferae:
The Umbelliferae is of great economic importance. Angelica archangelica (USA) is the source of an aromatic oil, ‘angelica oil’, useful in confectionary. Some are used as vegetables, e.g., Anthriscus cerefolium (France), Apium graveolens, Ligusticum scoticum (Chile & New Zealand) and Pteroselinum crispum (southern Europe).
Arracacia xanthorhiza (Peru to Mexico), Chaerophyllum bulbosum (Europe), Daucus carota var. sativa. Pastinaca sativa and Sium sisarum (south-eastern Europe) are cultivated for their edible roots and Bunium bulbocastanum and Conopodium majus for their edible tubers.
Carum carvi, Coriandrum sativum, Cuminum cyminum, Foeniculum vulgare, Levisticum officinale (southern Europe), Pimpinella anisum (Mediterranean), Trachyspermum ammi and T. burghianum are raised for their fruits which are used as spices.
Some plants are useful in medicine, such as some species of Apium, Centella and Eryngium. Dorema ammoniacum (Iran) is the source of ‘gum ammoniac’. The roots of Bupleurum jucundum are used in liver troubles. Ferula foetida and F. narthex (Afghanistan) yield ‘asafoetida’, an ill-scented drug. F. galbaniflua and F. rubicaulis are the sources of ‘gum galbanum’.
A few plants are grown ornamentally, e.g. the species of Aegopodium, Astrantia, Eryngium, Heracleum, Myrrhis and others.
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