Carrots, dill, parsley and other kitchen-garden plants (testing of a computerized guide to the Umbelliferae family by INQUIRE course students)

What do these well known plants have in common, other than that man has learned how to use them and they grow in vegetable plots? We suggest discussing this question during lessons with students as part of the INQUIRE project as a way of introducing them to the diversity of Umbelliferae plants and their uses. We developed this lesson for the MSU Botanic Garden INQUIRE course in connection with the publication of a major reference book entitled “Umbelliferae of Russia” and a computerized guide containing information on all of the roughly 288 Umbelliferae species growing in Russia. The Umbelliferae family has been one of the research topics of a group of botanical scientists working at Moscow State University under Prof. M.G.Pimenov, and the book’s publication is the fruit of many years of study on expeditions and in Russia’s leading herbariums. As a result of this study, an extensive collection of Umbelliferae can now be seen in the Sparrow Hills grounds of the university’s Botanic Garden. Our next task is to create a teaching exhibit of specimens of the Umbelliferae family for use with students.

Incidentally, in addition to edible and medicinal plants, this family also includes Heracleum sosnowskyi, which was once introduced to Central Russia from the Caucasus as an arable crop for feeding cattle, but has now become a dangerous enemy that is spreading like wildfire across the country. It poses a danger not only to the local flora, which it is displacing, but also to human health, as it contains large quantities of photoactive matter which, after coming into contact with human skin can cause severe burns when exposed to daylight. This species is an example of active invasion resulting from human activity. We recommend using it during the course for a discussion along the following lines: Heracleum sosnowskyi as a plant that every pupil should be able to recognize in order to protect their own health and to help preserve the local flora. Amongst the Umbelliferae there are also some other plants that are dangerous to mankind - Conium maculatum and Cicuta virosa. Students should learn to recognize these, too....

All teachers taking part in the course have not only tried to use the new guide to study the Garden’s  herbarium material, but can also obtain a copy of it on CD for use in their school classes and in practical activities...

The guide features a large number of original photographs of plants in the wild and of herbarium material illustrating the plants’ structural features. In addition to identifying individual species, the guide will help students to discover many new things about their structure, distribution and protection status. For example, they can learn that carrots grow not only in vegetable gardens, but also in the wild, and in some regions of Russia are even on the Endangered Species List.

We would like to thank T.A.Ostroumova, PhD, a senior researcher in the Botanic Garden and author of the guide, who has given us the opportunity to use it in our work with students. Upon completion of the trial by INQUIRE course participants there are plans to produce a new version of the guide for wider academic use.