Panax quinquefolium. 193 
PHARM. 
Pan. quinquefol. Radia, 
Tue root of Panax quinquefolium is about three or four inches in 
length, and usually of the thickness represented in the plate. It is 
of a whitish-yellow colour, and consists of one, two, or three tap- 
shaped portions. It is wrinkled transversely by parallel ruge or 
lines, and the whole surface is covered with small, whitish radicles. 
Itis perennial ; and each year’s stalk leaves, after dying away, an an- 
gular mark, as represented in the upper portion of the root figured, 
where these marks are numerous. It is generally deep-seated in the 
ground; and growing most commonly at the roots of trees, is not 
very easily obtained. The stem is erect, terete, green below, but 
tinged with purplish-red towards the end, whence the petioles arise. 
These are three in number, diverging in a regular manner, having 
the flower-stalk situated in the fork, produced by the union at their 
base with the top of thestem. The petioles are about two or three 
inches long, round, and as in the genus Aralia, swelling into a kind of 
knob at their base, where they have a slight motion with each 
other, and support three compound leaves. The leaflets are 
mostly five in number, but sometimes only three on one of the 
petioles, as represented in the plate. I have not seen any specimens 
with seven leaflets, though botanists state that they are sometimes met 
with. They are ovate, acuminate, doubly serrate, deep green above, 
VOL, Ii. 26 
