Apiaceae

Hollow, jointed stems bearing much-divided, often feathery compound leaves that sheathe the stem at their base; tiny flowers cluster into a compound umbel — an 'umbrella of umbrellas' — that ripens into a dry fruit splitting into two seed-like halves.

Essential oils in leaf and fruit make many members prized culinary herbs and spices (coriander, fennel, cumin), while a few relatives (hemlock) are violently poisonous — never forage this family on looks alone.

To check whether a plant belongs to Apiaceae, compare the leaf arrangement, leaf type, flower symmetry, fruit type, and one distinctive marker together. A single feature can mislead; the family pattern is the combination.