ARALIACEJE. 



165 



1. A. nudicau'lis. 



Nearly slemless ; Zeo/ solitary, decompound ; scape naked, shorter than the 

 leaf; iimbds few. A well known plant, found in woods, most abundant in 

 rich'and rocky soils. Its structure is singular. It has a large, fleshy root, 

 from which arise a leaf-stalk and a scape, but no proper stem. The former is 

 long, supporting a single, large, compound leaf, which is either '3-ternate or 

 3-quinate. Leaflets oval and obovate, acuminate, finely serrate. The scape 

 is about a foot high, bearing 3 umbels of greenish flowers. The root is aro- 

 matic, and in great demand since the invention of the patent syrup which 

 bears its name. June. July. iVUd Sarsaparilla. 



2. A. RACEMO'SA. 



6Yf 771 herbaceous, smooth; /fo?;e5 decompound ; pe^/imrZes axillary, branch- 

 ino-, umbelled. In rocky woods. Stem 3—4 feet high, dark green or reddish, 

 arfs'ing from a thick, aromatic root. The leaf-stalks divide into 3 partitions, 

 each of which bears 3 or 5 large, ovate, serrate leaflets. Umbels numerous, 

 arranged in branching racemes from the a.xils of the leaves or branches. The 

 root is pleasant to the taste, and highly esteemed as an ingredient in small 

 beer &c. July. Per. Pettymorrel. Sijikenard. 



3. A. hispi'da. 



Stem shrubby at base, hispid ; leaves bipinnate ; leaflets ovate, cut-serrate ; 

 umbels on lono- peduncles. Common in slovenly fields, about stumps and 

 stone-heaps. Stem 1 — 2 feet high, the lower part woody and thickly beset 

 with sharp, stiff" bristles, the upper partbranching, herbaceous. Leaflets many, 

 endino- in a long point, ovate, smooth. Umbels many, simple, globose, axil- 

 lary and terminal, followed by bunches of dark-colored, nauseous berries. The 

 plant exhales an unpleasant odor. Jl. Aug. Wild Elder. Bristly Jralia. 



2. PANAX. 



Flowers polygamous. Perftcljl. — Calyx 5-toothed,superior ; 

 corolla 5-pe(a]ed; stamens 5 ; styles 2—3 ; berry subcordate, 

 2 — 3-seeded. Slaminatejl. — Calyx entire ; petals 5 ; stamens 5. 



Gr. TTuv, all, ax.o«. a remedy ; that is a ^wn'/cca, a universal remedy. In 

 the estimation of the Chinese, this high-sounding title is merited by the gin- 

 seng, P. quinquefolium. The genus also includes the common ground-nut. 

 Perennial herbs. 



1. P. trifo'lium. 



Root tuberous ; leaves 3, ternate or quinate ; lenjlets wedge-lanceolate, sub- 

 sessile, serrate ; styles 3 ; berry tricoccous. This little plant is common in low 

 woods in N. Hampshire and"Vermont, whore it is generally known by the 

 name ground-nut. The root is a round tuber nearly half an inch in diameter, 

 deep in the ground, connected with the stem by a short, screw-like ligament. 

 The stem arises 3-- G inches above the surface, smooth, slender, simple. At 

 the summit is a whorl of 3-compound leaves, with a central peduncle termi- 

 natiuff in a little umbel of pure white flowers. Leaflets generally 3, nearly or 

 quite smooth. Barren and fertile flowers on different plants, the latter with- 

 out stamens, succeeded by green berries, the former with a single, abortive 

 style. May. Dwarf Ginseng. Ground-A'ut. 



2. P. quinquefo'lia. 



Root fusiform; leaves 3, quinate; leaflets oval, acuminate, petiolate, serrate. 

 The ginseng is generally found in rocky or mountainous woods. The root is 



