common name for some members of the Umbelliferae, a family (also called the parsley family) of chiefly biennial or perennial herbs of north temperate regions. Most are characterized by aromatic foliage, a dry fruit that splits when mature, and an umbellate inflorescence (a type of flattened flower cluster in which the stems of the small florets arise from the same point, like an umbrella). The seeds or leaves of many of these herbs have been used for centuries for seasoning or as greens (e.g., angelica , anise , caraway , chervil , coriander , cumin , dill , fennel , lovage , and parsley ). The carrot, celery , and parsnip are vegetables of commercial importance. The common garden carrot ( Daucus carota sativa ) is a root crop , probably derived from some variety of the wild carrot (or Queen Anne's lace ). Although the common carrot in markets is now predominantly orange, carrots range in color from white to purple. In antiquity several types of carrot were grown as medicinals, and in…