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Plant Families containg herbs![Plant Families containg herbs]()
The plant families containing herbs, and the chief ones found in each, are the following:
1. PARSLEY FAMILY (Umbelliferae). An enormous family of plants containing such common vegetables as celery (also an herb), carrot and parsnip, and the beautiful little blue laceflower of the florists' shops. Its flowers are usually minute but grouped in large clusters (umbels), a familiar example being the common, weedy Queen Anne's Lace. Many plants in it are poisonous, such as the deadly hemlock used to kill Socrates, but many others contain valuable essences much prized by cooks. Among the better known herbs are anise, caraway, celery, chervil, coriander, cumin, dill, the fennels, lovage, parsley, and sweet cicely. We prize them mostly for the flavorful oils secreted in their seeds or herbage.
2. Nhrrr FAMILY (Labiatae). Of over 3;000 species of herbaceous plants, as well as many shrubs and trees in the tropics, only a few are classed as herbs for fragrance or savor, although there is scarcely one of the three thousand that is not aromatic from the oil secreted in their leaves. They have usually small, irregular flowers in often close clusters, generally opposite leaves and a stem square in cross-section. The commonest garden plant is the scarlet salvia, so much grown for bedding and edging. Among the chief herbs in the mint family are balm, basil, catnip, horehound, lavender, the marjorams, mints, rosemary, sage, savory, and thyme.
3. ASTER FAMILY (Compositae). The largest family of plants in the world, comprising over 12,000 species, but only a few are of any interest as herbs. They have daisy-like flowers with ray-like "petals," as in the Shasta daisy, dandelion, and many others, or there are no rays such as in the common garden ageratum. The few herbs in this huge group are useful because of the savory or aromatic oils secreted in their foliage or flowers. The chief herbs are the camomiles, costmary, dandelion, marigolds, mugwort, old woman, southernwood, tansy, tarragon, and wormwood. No doubt many others could be rescued from their obscurity by the enquiring herb gardener, but some care should be used as a few Compositae are poisonous. .. LILY FAMILY (Liliaceae). There are over 2,000 species in this overwhelmingly herbaceous family which includes miliar garden plants, besides the lily itself, such as the asparagus, tulip, lily-of-the-valley, and the well-known dracaena so popular as a house plant. The family is singularly lacking in herbs, but the few are important for they include the onion, chives, leek, shallot, garlic, and the rocambole.
5. MUSTARD FAMILY (Cruciferae). Generally bitter-foliaged but never poisonous plants, comprising nearly a,ooo species, all of which have four petals arranged cross-fashion, hence the name Cruciferae, derived from the crucifer who marched about ancient monastery gardens, heading a procession of monks who sprinkled with holy water many of the species in this website. Not many of the Cruciferae are classed as herbs, and some herb enthusiasts look on them as of only incidental importance. But their pleasant, bitter essence makes them reasonable candidates for inclusion here, especially horseradish, the mustards, rocket salad, and the watercress.
Page 1: Why we need herbs
Page 2: Reasons for Growing Herbs
Page 3: Scoffing at Herb Gardeners
Page 4: Fragrant and Useful
Page 5: Herbs as Medicine
Page 6: Herbs and Commercial Drugs
Page 7: Grown anywhere
Page 8: Fragrance of Herbs
Page 9: The soil and flavors
Page 10: Most important Herb families
Page 11: Plant Families containing
Herbs
Page 12: Oils, Flavors, and Diet
Page 13: Learning from Herb History
Page 14: Cooking with Herbs
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