Apiaceae

Apiaceae, also known as the carrot or parsley family, is a family of flowering plants in the order Apiales. It comprises herbaceous plants and some shrubs, many of which produce aromatic oils. With around 3,700 species in about 320 genera, Apiaceae is one of the larger families of flowering plants and has a cosmopolitan distribution, thriving in temperate regions worldwide.

Characteristic features include aromatic stems that are often hollow, leaves that are compound with sheathing bases, and umbrella-like inflorescences called umbels. The flowers are small, typically white or pale yellow, and the fruit is a dry schizocarp that splits into two mericarps when mature.

Apiaceae includes major culinary and economic taxa such as Daucus carota (carrot), Apium graveolens (celery), Petroselinum crispum (parsley), Coriandrum sativum (coriander), Anethum graveolens (dill), Foeniculum vulgare (fennel), and Cuminum cyminum (cumin). The family also contains toxic genera, including Conium and Heracleum, the latter responsible for phototoxic giant hogweed.

Geographically widespread, Apiaceae favors temperate climates and often grows in open habitats. It is important for culinary arts, perfumery, and traditional medicine, and ongoing botanical research includes phylogenetic studies and the monitoring of invasive or toxic species within the family.