NOTES ON THE FAMILY UMBELLIFERAE 97
approximately 2,700 species, mostly inhabiting the Northern
Hemisphere. Some are found in tropical places, but com-
paratively rare in the Southern Hemisphere—one unusual
species grows in the Falkland Islands, Bolax glebaria, which
forms huge tussocks like haycocks. Some species of
Angelica and Heracleum and Ferula communis grow to a
great height in sub-tropical countries. A plant grown in
gardens is the giant Fennel, which attains 15 feet in height.
Most of the plants in the Family Umbelliferae consist of
herbs, often strongly scented. Some are useful as food,
others are used in medicines, many are poisonous, but the
great majority are unimportant weeds.
Boots of carrot, parsnip, celery and skirret are edible and
are grown in many countries. The leaves of parsley, fennel
and chervils—Cerefolium and aromaticum—are used in
salads and for flavouring, etc. Eryngium roots are sweet,
aromatic and tonic. Meum Athamanticum and Mutellina
also have aromatic roots and are used as ingredients in
Venice treacle. From cultivated Angelica we get a sweet-
meat which is a candied preparation of the stems, while the
roots are sweet when first tasted, but leave a glowing beat
in the mouth. Gum resinous species are Ferula, from the
East Indies, yielding Asafoetida used in medicine. The
aromatic and carminative fruits are : Aniseed from
Pimpinella anisum. Dill from Anethum graveolens, and
Caraway from Carum Carvi. A flavouring agent known as
Coriander is obtained from the fruits of Coriandrum sativum.
This plant is cultivated in England, and a few7 years ago I
was talking to a farmer on Foulness Island who had grown
a crop, and he described the unpleasant task of harvesting
it. The plant has a very pungent and unpleasant odour of
bugs which affects the nose and eyes, causing a symptom
like hay-fever. The generic name is derived from the, Greek
word Koris, meaning a bug. Cumin, used in veterinary
practice, is obtained from Cuminum cyminum. Poisonous
plants are Hemlock (Conium maculatum), Cow parsley
(Anthriscus sylvestris), Burr-chervil (A. vulgaris), Fool's
parsley (Aethusa Cynapium), known by its bright green
leaves and long bracts to the involucel, Water-dropwort
(Oenanthe crocata), Cowbanes (Cicuta virosa and C.