200 FAMILIES OF FLOWEKING PLANTS 



8 genera and about 94 species, of vdde geographic distribution. They 

 are herbs, mainly aquatic, with alternate or whorled leaves and small 

 flowers. The mare's-tail or bottle-brush {Hippuris vulgaris), the mermaid- 

 weed [Proserpinacea) and the several species of water-milfoil {Myrio- 

 phyllum) are common in our ponds, lakes and streams. Among the few 

 terrestrial forms Gimnera is noteworthy. They are magnificent lawn 

 foliage plants, the leaves of G. marveata being from 5-10 feet across, and 

 the crown of great leaves spreading 25 feet or more. 



Family Cynomoriaceae. Cynomorium Family. A single genus 

 and species {Cynomorium coccineum), of the Mediterranean region and 

 Western Asia. It is a fleshy red herbaceous plant about a foot in 

 height. 



Chapter XXVII. — Order Umbellales. 



This is a small but interesting and relativelj^ important order, embrac- 

 ing three families. They are herbs, shrubs, or trees, and almost always 

 have petaliferous flowers. Calyx-segments and petals mostly 5, stamens 

 4 or 5. The ovary is inferior, adnate to the calyx, compound, and has 

 a single ovule in each cell. 



Family Araliaceae. Ginseng Family. A family of herbs, shrubs or 

 trees of about 50 genera and 450 species, widely distributed in temper- 

 ate and tropical regions. North America possesses only 3 genera and 

 about 10 species. They have alternate or whorled leaves, and mostly 

 I)erfect flowers in umbels, heads or racemes. The calyx-tube adheres to 

 the ovary and has the usually 5 petals inserted in its margin. Stamens 

 as many as the petals and alternate with them. Fruit a berry or drupe 

 resulting from the 1-several celled ovary. 



Aralia is perhaps the most important genus. They are herbs, shrubs 

 or trees with pinnately or ternately decompound leaves. Aralia spinosa, 

 the Hercules' club, a tall shrub or small tree of Eastern North America, 

 has the stem, branches and petioles strongly spiny ; A. racemosa, the 

 American spikenard, is an unarmed herbaceous plant 3-6 feet high, and 

 A. nudicaulis is the wild or Virginia sarsaparilla which is quite widely 

 employed in medicine. Several other species of Aralia are in orna- 

 mental cultivation, mainly as greenhouse plants. Panax is a genus of 

 about 7 species, natives of Eastern North America. They are erect per- 

 ennial herbs from globose or elongated aromatic roots. American 

 ginseng (P. quinquefolia), of rich woods, is gathered in large quantities 

 for exportation to China, where it is highly prized for its tonic, aromatic 

 properties and commands high prices. The only other American species 



