Parsley family
= Family Apiaceae
Description
A large family of mainly annual, biennial and perrenial herbs, almost cosmopolitan in distribution, but mainly in northern temperate regions (Umbelliferae 1).
The alternate leaves are much divided with sheathing stalks at the base. The flowers are borne in characteristic umbels, which are usually compound, the small flowers being in one plane. The calyx is reduced to 5 teeth, or is absent, there are 5 free petals, sometimes very unequal in size, and 5 stamens alternating with the petals. The ovary is inferior. The fruit ripens into 2 separating indehiscent parts which bear ridges, hairs or oil-canals.
There are some 400 genera.
Use
The family includes important food plants like carrots, parsnip and celery, as well as aromatic plants and seeds like parsley, dill, chervil, lovage, caraway, coriander, cumin, fennel and anise.
Described species
Apium graveolens, celery and celeriac
Daucus carota, carrot
Pastinaca sativa, parsnip
Anethum graveolens, dill
Anthriscus cerefolium, chervill
Carum carvi, caraway
Cumimum cymimum, cumin, see Carum carvi
Coriandrum sativum, coriander
Petroselinum crispum, parsley
Foeniculum vulgare, fennel and Florence fennel
Levisticum officinale, lovage
Pimpinella anisum, anise