APIACEAE

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            1. SYSTEMATIC POSITION:
            Bentham & Hooker
            Division: Phanerogames (Seed Plants)
                  Class: Dicotyledones
                          Sub-class: Polypetalae
                                   Series: Calyciflorae
                                          Order: Umbellales
                                                 Family: Apiaceae (Umbelliferae)
           
            2. MORPHOLOGICAL CHARACTERS:
            Habit – Mostly annual or perennial herbs, aromatic.
            Leaves – Alternate, simple or usually much dissected, often exstipulate.
            Inflorescence – Simple or compound umbell.
            Flower – Bisexual, actinomorphic, epigynous with a disc.
            Calyx – Sepals 5, united, toothed.
            Corolla – Petals 5, free, often unequal, valvate or imbricate.
            Androecium – Stamens 5, free, anthers versatile.
            Gynoecium – Carpels 3, syncarpous, ovary inferior, 2-locular with 1 ovule in each locule, placentation parietal, style 2, stigma capitates, surrounded by two-lobed honey-disc (stylopodium).
            Fruit – Cremocarp, dehiscing into two dry segments (mericarps) which are suspended from the slenderbiforked axis (carpophores), each mericarp is provided with longitudinal ridges (costae or jugar) and between two ridges are furrows (valleculae) which are traversed by oil-ducts (vitae).
            3. FLORAL FORMULA: ⊕⚥K(5),C5,A5,G2
            4. COMPARATIVE SYSTEMATIC POSITION AND AFFINITIES:
            Bentham & Hooker/ Engler & Prantl placed the family Apiaceae under the order order Umbellales/ Umbelliflorae along with Araliaceae and Coronaceae. Hutchinson put this family in the monotypic order Umbellales.
            The family Apiaceae throws some light on the origin of sympetalous advanced families like Rubiaceae and Asteraceae. This view is proved on the fact that in both Apiaceae and Rubiaceae there is tendency of flowers to be aggregated into umbellate heads, reduction of calyx lobes, epigyny, etc. Bessey supports this view and postulated that the Apiaceae was directly derived from Rosaceae. Apiaceae in turn give rise to Rubiaceae.

            5. ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE:
            1. The seeds of Trachyspermum ami yields jowan from which Aqua ptychotis is manufactured. The mericarp of Foeniculum vulgare is used as condiment. The mericarp of Coriandrum sativum is used as condiment for cooking purpose. Fruit of Carum carvi is used as condiment for cooking purpose.
            2. The root of Daucus carota and Apium graveolens (Carrot) is used as vegetable.
            3. The resinous exudations of the young buds and roots of Ferula asiatica are used as ‘asafoetida’ or ‘hingh’ of commerce.
            4. The whole plant of Centella asiatica is used as medicine. The fruit of Carum carvi is used as medicine in stomach ache and carminative.
           

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