Umbel Explained

In botany, an umbel is an inflorescence that consists of a number of short flower stalks (called pedicels) that spread from a common point, somewhat like umbrella ribs. The word was coined in botanical usage in the 1590s, from Latin umbella "parasol, sunshade".^[1] The arrangement can vary from being flat-topped to almost spherical. Umbels can be simple or compound. The secondary umbels of compound umbels are known as umbellules or umbellets.^[2] A small umbel is called an umbellule.^[2] The arrangement of the inflorescence in umbels is referred to as umbellate, or occasionally subumbellate (almost umbellate).

Umbels are a characteristic of plants such as carrot, parsley, dill, and fennel in the family Apiaceae; ivy, Aralia and Fatsia in the family Araliaceae; and onion (Allium) in the family Alliaceae.

An umbel is a type of indeterminate inflorescence.^{[2] [3]} A compressed cyme, which is a determinate inflorescence, is called umbelliform if it resembles an umbel.

Further reading

• Hinderer. Walter. Noé. Wolfgang. Seitz. Hanns Ulrich. Differentiation of metabolic pathways in the umbel of Daucus carota. Phytochemistry. 22. 11. 1983. 2417–2420. 0031-9422. 10.1016/0031-9422(83)80131-9.
• Toben. H.-M.. Rudoph. K. Pseudomonas syringae pv. coriandricola, Incitant of Bacterial Umbel Blight and Seed Decay of Coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.) in Germany. Journal of Phytopathology. 144. 4. 1996. 169–178. 0931-1785. 10.1111/j.1439-0434.1996.tb01510.x.
• Peterson. L. E.. Clark. R. J.. Menary. R. C.. Umbel Initiation and Stem Elongation in Fennel(Foeniculum vulgare)Initiated by Photoperiod. Journal of Essential Oil Research. 5. 1. 1993. 37–43. 1041-2905. 10.1080/10412905.1993.9698168.

Notes and References

1. http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=umbel umbel etymology
2. Book: Beentje, H. . Williamson, J. . 2010 . The Kew Plant Glossary: an Illustrated Dictionary of Plant Terms . Kew Publishing . Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew .
3. Book: Walters, D.R. . Keil, D.J. . 1975 . Vascular Plant Taxonomy . Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company . Dubuque .