UMBELLIFEROUS Meaning and
Definition
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Umbelliferous is an adjective that describes a characteristic or quality related to the botanical family Apiaceae, commonly known as the carrot family. It is derived from the Latin word "umbella" meaning "parasol" or "sunshade," as plants within this family often have flowers arranged in a flat or rounded cluster resembling an umbrella.
The term umbelliferous refers to plants that bear umbels, which are inflorescences arranged in a characteristic flat-topped or rounded shape, where many flower stalks originate from a common point, like rays emanating from the center. This conformation of flowers can often be observed in plants such as carrots, dill, parsley, fennel, and celery.
Typically, umbelliferous plants have hollow stems and their leaves are often finely divided or feathery in appearance. The flowers themselves tend to be small, characterized by five petals and five stamens. Following the blooming of the flowers, the plants produce fruit that is often dry and represented by two seeds known as mericarps.
Due to their characteristics, umbelliferous plants are of significant ecological, culinary, and medicinal importance. Many species within this family have traditionally been used as herbs, spices, or vegetables, while others have medicinal properties. Additionally, umbelliferous plants serve as valuable sources of food and habitat for various insects, such as butterflies and bees.
In summary, umbelliferous is an adjective used to describe plants that belong to the Apiaceae family, displaying inflorescences arranged in umbrella-like clusters known as umbels.
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Producing umbels; pert. to the order of plants which have their flowers arranged in umbels.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
Common Misspellings for UMBELLIFEROUS
- ymbelliferous
- hmbelliferous
- jmbelliferous
- imbelliferous
- 8mbelliferous
- 7mbelliferous
- unbelliferous
- ukbelliferous
- ujbelliferous
- umvelliferous
- umnelliferous
- umhelliferous
- umgelliferous
- umbwlliferous
- umbslliferous
- umbdlliferous
- umbrlliferous
- umb4lliferous
- umb3lliferous
Etymology of UMBELLIFEROUS
The word "umbelliferous" comes from the Latin word "umbella" which means "a little parasol" or "an umbrella", and the Latin word "ferre" which means "to bear" or "to carry". Together, they form the word "umbellifer" which refers to a plant having flowers arranged in umbels, which resemble the shape of an umbrella. The suffix "-ous" is added to create the adjective form, "umbelliferous", used to describe plants that bear umbels.
Similar spelling words for UMBELLIFEROUS
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