Tut. The pistils are succeeded by a sort of fruit, which is a twin-seed joined in the middle, as you may see in this rundle that is past flowering. Here I divide one of them into two.
Geo. Would each of these grow?
Tut. Yes. Well, this is the structure of the flowering part of the umbelliferous tribe. Now for the leaf. Pluck one.
Har. Is this one leaf, or many?
Tut. It is properly one, but it is cut and divided into many portions. From this mid-rib spring smaller leaves set opposite each other; and from the rib of each of these proceed others, which themselves are also divided. These are called doubly or trebly pinnated leaves; and most of the umbelliferous plants, but not all, have leaves of this kind.
Har. It is like a parsley-leaf.
Tut. True—and parsley is one of the same tribe, and hemlock and others are sometimes mistaken for it.
Geo. How curiously the stalk of this hemlock is spotted!
Tut. Yes. That is one of the marks by which it is known. It is also distinguished by its peculiar smell, and by other circumstances which you can only understand when you have compared a number of the tribe. I will now tell you about some others, the names of which you are probably acquainted with. In the first place, there are carrots and parsnips.
Har. Carrots and parsnips!—they are not poisons, I am sure.