From en.wikipedia.org:
[Family of flowering plants] [date=July 2020] {{Automatic taxobox |
oldest_fossil = Eocene | image =
Umbelliferae-apium-daucus-foeniculum-eryngium-petroselinum.jpg | image_caption
= Apiaceae: _Apium_ leaves and tiny inflorescences, _Daucus_ habit,
_Foeniculum_ inflorescences, _Eryngium_ inflorescences, _Petroselinum_ root.
| taxon = Apiaceae | authority = Lindl. | type_genus = _Apium_ |
type_genus_authority = L. | subdivision_ranks = Subfamilies | subdivision =
*Mackinlayoideae <small>Plunkett & Lowry</small>
- Azorelloideae <small> Plunkett & Lowry </small>
- Saniculoideae <small> Burnett </small>
- Apioideae <small> Seem. </small>
| synonyms = Umbelliferae }}
APIACEAE ([eɪ]) or UMBELLIFERAE is a family of mostly aromatic flowering
plants named after the type genus _Apium ,_ and commonly known as the CELERY,
CARROT, or PARSLEY FAMILY, or simply as UMBELLIFERS. It is the 16th-largest
family of flowering plants, with more than 3,800 species in about 446
genera,<ref name=Stevens>Stevens, P.F. (2001 onwards). "APIACEAE Lindley,
nom. cons. (see
http://www.mobot.org/MOBOT/Research/APweb/orders/apialesweb.htm#Apiaceae) "
_Angiosperm Phylogeny Website_. Retrieved 16 December 2022. including such
well-known, and economically important plants as ajwain, angelica, anise,
asafoetida, caraway, carrot, celery, chervil, coriander, cumin, dill, fennel,
lovage, cow parsley, parsley, parsnip and sea holly, as well as silphium, a
plant whose exact identity is unclear and which may be extinct.[1]
The family Apiaceae includes a significant number of phototoxic species, such
as giant hogweed, and a smaller number of highly poisonous species, such as
poison hemlock, water hemlock, spotted cowbane, fool's parsley, and various
species of water dropwort.
** Description
Most Apiaceae are annual, biennial or perennial herbs (frequently with the
leaves aggregated toward the base), though a minority are woody shrubs or
small trees such as _Bupleurum fruticosum_.<ref name=Heywood>[first1=V.H.
][35] Their leaves are of variable size, and alternately arranged, or with the
upper leaves becoming nearly opposite. The leaves may be petiolate or
sessile. There are no stipules but the petioles are frequently sheathing, and
the leaves may be perfoliate. The leaf blade is usually dissected, ternate,
or pinnatifid, but simple, and entire in some genera, e.g. _Bupleurum_.<ref
name=Stace/> Commonly, their leaves emit a marked smell when crushed, aromatic
to fetid, but absent in some species.
The defining characteristic of this family is the inflorescence, the flowers
nearly always aggregated in terminal umbels, that may be simple or more
commonly compound, often umbelliform cymes. The flowers are usually perfect
(hermaphroditic), and actinomorphic, but there may be zygomorphic flowers at
the edge of the umbel, as in carrot (_Daucus carota_) and coriander, with
petals of unequal size, the ones pointing outward from the umbel larger than
the ones pointing inward. Some are andromonoecious, polygamomonoecious, or
even dioecious (as in _Acronema_), with a distinct calyx, and corolla, but the
calyx is often highly reduced, to the point of being undetectable in many
species, while the corolla can be white, yellow, pink or purple. The flowers
are nearly perfectly pentamerous, with five petals and five stamens.[2] There
is often variation in the functionality of the stamens even within a single
inflorescence. Some flowers are functionally staminate (where a pistil may be
present but has no ovules capable of being fertilized) while others are
functionally pistillate (where stamens are present but their anthers do not
produce viable pollen). Pollination of one flower by the pollen of a
different flower of the same plant (geitonogamy) is common. The gynoecium
consists of two carpels fused into a single, bicarpellate pistil with an
inferior ovary.<ref name="Taylor-1994" /> Stylopodia support two styles, and
secrete nectar, attracting pollinators like flies, mosquitoes, gnats, beetles,
moths, and bees. The fruit is a schizocarp consisting of two fused carpels
that separate at maturity into two mericarps, each containing a single seed.
The fruits of many species are dispersed by wind but others such as those of
_Daucus_ spp., are covered in bristles, which may be hooked in sanicle
_Sanicula europaea_<ref name="Heywood" /> and thus catch in the fur of
animals. The seeds have an oily endosperm[3][4] and often contain essential
oils, containing aromatic compounds that are responsible for the flavour of
commercially important umbelliferous seed such as anise, cumin and coriander.
The shape and details of the ornamentation of the ripe fruits are important
for identification to species level.<ref name=Stace>[last=Stace][802]
** Taxonomy
Apiaceae was first described by John Lindley in 1836.[5] The name is derived
from the type genus _Apium_, which was originally used by Pliny the Elder
circa 50 AD for a celery-like plant.[6] The alternative name for the family,
Umbelliferae, derives from the inflorescence being generally in the form of a
compound umbel. The family was one of the first to be recognized as a
distinct group in Jacques Daleschamps' 1586 _Historia generalis plantarum_.
With Robert Morison's 1672 _Plantarum umbelliferarum distribution nova_ it
became the first group of plants for which a systematic study was published.
The family is solidly placed within the Apiales order in the APG III system.
It is closely related to Araliaceae and the boundaries between these families
remain unclear. Traditionally groups within the family have been delimited
largely based on fruit morphology, and the results from this have not been
congruent with the more recent molecular phylogenetic analyses. The
subfamilial and tribal classification for the family is currently in a state
of flux, with many of the groups being found to be grossly paraphyletic or
polyphyletic.<ref name=Stevens/>
*** Classification and phylogeny
Prior to molecular phylogenetic studies, the family was subdivided primarily
based on fruit characteristics. Molecular phylogenetic analyses from the
mid-1990s onwards have shown that fruit characters evolved in parallel many
times, so that using them in classification resulted in units that were not
monophyletic.<ref name=ClarZuntMaurDown21/> In 2004, it was proposed that
Apiaceae should be divided into four subfamilies:<ref
name=PlunChanLowrPinn04/>
- Apioideae <small> Seem. </small>
- Azorelloideae <small> G.M.Plunkett & Lowry </small>
- Mackinlayoideae <small> G.M.Plunkett & Lowry </small>
- Saniculoideae <small> Burnett </small>
Apioideae is by far the largest subfamily with about 90% of the genera. Most
subsequent studies have supported this division, although leaving some genera
unplaced. A 2021 study suggested the relationships shown in the following
cladogram.<ref name=ClarZuntMaurDown21/>
{{clade |label1=Apiaceae |1={{clade
|1=_Platysace_
|2={{clade
|1=Mackinlayoideae
|2={{clade
|1=_Klotzschia_
|2={{clade
|1=Azorelloideae
|2={{clade
|1=_Hermas_
|2={{clade
|1=_Phlyctidocarpa_ + Saniculoideae
|2=Apioideae
}}
}}
}}
}}
}}
}}
}}
The _Platysace_ clade and the genera _Klotzschia_ and _Hermas_ fell outside
the four subfamilies. It was suggested that they could be accommodated in
subfamilies of their own. _Phlyctidocarpa_ was formerly placed in the
subfamily Apioideae, but if kept there makes Apioideae paraphyletic. It could
be placed in an enlarged Saniculoideae, or restored to Apioideae if the latter
were expanded to include Saniculoideae.<ref name=ClarZuntMaurDown21/>
The subfamilies can be further divided into tribes and clades, with many
clades falling outside formally recognized tribes.<ref
name=ClarZuntMaurDown21/>
*** Evolution
The earliest fossils of the group, represented by pollen, date to the Eocene
epoch, though the family itself is estimated to have originated during the
Late Cretaceous, likely in Australasia.[7][8]
*** Genera
[List of Apiaceae genera] The number of genera accepted by sources varies.
[2022], Plants of the World Online (PoWO) accepted 444 genera, while GRIN
Taxonomy accepted 462. The PoWO genera are not a subset of those in GRIN; for
example, _Haloselinum_ is accepted by PoWO but not by GRIN, while
_Halosciastrum_ is accepted by GRIN but not by PoWO, which treats it as a
synonym of _Angelica_. The Angiosperm Phylogeny Website had an "approximate
list" of 446 genera.<ref name=Stevens/>
<gallery> File:Chaerophyllum bulbosum - Köhler–s
Medizinal-Pflanzen-177.jpg|_Chaerophyllum bulbosum_ File:Apiaceae Pimpinella
anisum.jpg|Anise (_Pimpinella anisum_) <br /> from Woodville (1793)[9]
File:Angelica archangelica (1118596627).jpg|_Angelica archangelica_
File:Coriandrum sativum 003.JPG|Umbel of _Coriandrum sativum_ showing strong
zygomorphy (asymmetry) in the outer flowers. File:Members of the apiaceae
family.2.png|4 Apiaceae family members: Daucus carota, Heracleum
mantegazzianum, Pastinaca sativa, Laser trilobum </gallery>
** Ecology
The black swallowtail butterfly, _Papilio polyxenes_, uses the family Apiaceae
for food and host plants for oviposition.[10] The 22-spot ladybird is also
commonly found eating mildew on these plants.[11]
** Uses
Many members of this family are cultivated for various purposes. Parsnip
(_Pastinaca sativa_), carrot (_Daucus carota_) and Hamburg parsley
(_Petroselinum crispum_) produce tap roots that are large enough to be useful
as food. Many species produce essential oils in their leaves or fruits and as
a result are flavourful aromatic herbs. Examples are parsley (_Petroselinum
crispum_), coriander (_Coriandrum sativum_), culantro, and dill (_Anethum
graveolens_). The seeds may be used in cuisine, as with coriander
(_Coriandrum sativum_), fennel (_Foeniculum vulgare_), cumin (_Cuminum
cyminum_), and caraway (_Carum carvi_).
Other notable cultivated Apiaceae include chervil (_Anthriscus cerefolium_),
angelica (_Angelica_ spp.), celery (_Apium graveolens_), arracacha (_Arracacia
xanthorrhiza_), sea holly (_Eryngium_ spp.), asafoetida (_Ferula asafoetida_),
galbanum (_Ferula gummosa_), cicely (_Myrrhis odorata_), anise (_Pimpinella
anisum_), lovage (_Levisticum officinale_), and hacquetia (_Sanicula
epipactis_).<ref name=Watson/>
*** Cultivation
Generally, all members of this family are best cultivated in the cool-season
garden; they may not grow at all if the soils are too warm. Almost every
widely cultivated plant of this group is a considered useful as a companion
plant. One reason is that the tiny flowers, clustered into umbels, are well
suited for ladybugs, parasitic wasps, and predatory flies, which drink nectar
when not reproducing.[12] They then prey upon insect pests on nearby plants.
Some of the members of this family considered "herbs" produce scents that are
believed to mask the odours of nearby plants, thus making them harder for
insect pests to find.
*** Other uses
The poisonous members of the Apiaceae have been used for a variety of purposes
globally. The poisonous _Oenanthe crocata_ has been used as an aid in
suicides, and arrow poisons have been made from various other family species.
_Daucus carota_ has been used as coloring for butter.[13]
_Dorema ammoniacum_, _Ferula galbaniflua_, and _Ferula moschata_ (sumbul) are
sources of incense.
The woody _Azorella compacta_ Phil. has been used in South America for fuel.
** Toxicity
Many species in the family Apiaceae produce phototoxic substances (called
furanocoumarins) that sensitize human skin to sunlight. Contact with plant
parts that contain furanocoumarins, followed by exposure to sunlight, may
cause phytophotodermatitis,[14][15] a serious skin inflammation. Phototoxic
species include _Ammi majus_, _Notobubon galbanum ,_ the parsnip (_Pastinaca
sativa_) and numerous species of the genus _Heracleum_, especially the giant
hogweed (_Heracleum mantegazzianum_). Of all the plant species that have been
reported to induce phytophotodermatitis, approximately half belong to the
family Apiaceae.[16]
The family Apiaceae also includes a smaller number of poisonous species,
including poison hemlock, water hemlock, spotted cowbane, fool's parsley, and
various species of water dropwort.[date=August 2025]
Some members of the family Apiaceae, including carrot, celery, fennel, parsley
and parsnip, contain polyynes, an unusual class of organic compounds that
exhibit cytotoxic effects.[17][18]
** References
{{Reflist|refs= <ref name=ClarZuntMaurDown21>[last1=Clarkson ]
<ref name=PlunChanLowrPinn04>[last1=Plunkett ] }}
** Further reading
- Constance, L. (1971). "History of the classification of Umbelliferae (Apiaceae)." in Heywood, V. H. [ ed. ] , The biology and chemistry of the Umbelliferae, 1–11. Academic Press, London.
- Cronquist, A. (1968). The Evolution and Classification of Flowering Plants. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
- [url=https://medium.com/@USFWS/dont-touch-these-plants-six-lookalikes-you-want-to-avoid-edbe291b69e4 ]
- French, D. H. (1971). "Ethnobotany of the Umbelliferae." in Heywood, V. H. [ ed. ] , The biology and chemistry of the Umbelliferae, 385–412. Academic Press, London.
- Hegnauer, R. (1971) "Chemical Patterns and Relationships of Umbelliferae." in Heywood, V. H. [ ed. ] , The biology and chemistry of the Umbelliferae, 267–277. Academic Press, London.
- Heywood, V. H. (1971). "Systematic survey of Old World Umbelliferae." in Heywood, V. H. [ ed. ] , The biology and chemistry of the Umbelliferae, 31–41. Academic Press, London.
- Judd, W. S. et al. (1999). Plant Systematics: A Phylogenetic Approach. Sunderland, MA: Sinauer Associates, Inc.
- [ last1 = Plunkett ]
- [ last1 = Plunkett ]
- [ last1 = Plunkett ]
- Nieto Feliner, Gonzalo; Jury, Stephen Leonard & Herrero Nieto, Alberto (eds.) _Flora iberica. Plantas vasculares de la Península Ibérica e Islas Baleares._ Vol. X. "Araliaceae-Umbelliferae" (see http://bibdigital.rjb.csic.es/ing/Libro.php?Libro=484) [url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141030175423/http://bibdigital.rjb.csic.es/ing/Libro.php?Libro=484 ] (2003) Madrid: Real Jardín Botánico, CSIC (in Spanish).
- [url=https://www.greenmountainclub.org/wild-parsnip-and-friends-in-vermont/ ]
** External links
- [Apiaceae]
- Umbelliferae (see http://delta-intkey.com/angio/www/umbellif.htm) at _The Families of Flowering Plants (DELTA)_
- Apiaceae (see http://www.discoverlife.org/mp/20q?search=Apiaceae) at _Discover Life_
- Umbellifer Resource Centre (see http://rbg-web2.rbge.org.uk/URC/frames.html?http://rbg-web2.rbge.org.uk/URC/urchomepage.html) at the _Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh_
- Umbellifer Information Server (see https://web.archive.org/web/20050504120603/http://umbelliferae.cs.msu.su/en_index.php?menu_item_id=4) at _Moscow State University_
[Angiosperm families] [from1=Q145794] [Authority control]
Category:Asterid families