Panax, pentandria digynia. 75 



2. P. digitatum. R. 



Arboreous, armed. Leaves digitate ; leaflets entire, 

 lanceolate, acuminate. Pawtc/es pendulous. It is theSoo- 

 nath, or Kota-soona of the Hindus about Silhet, where the 

 tree is indigenous and flowers in May, and produces seed 

 in November. 



It is a pretty large tree, w ith numerous branches spread- 

 ing in all directionSjthe younger ones armed with innumer- 

 able, short, somewhat incurved, very sharp aculei, which 

 fall off" with the exterior coat of the bark. Leaves alter- 

 nate, about the ends of the branchlets, digitate. Leaflets 

 generally seven, petiolate, oblong, and broad-lanceolate, 

 entire, smooth, acuminate ; from three to six inches long. 

 Petioles from ten to fifteen inches long, round, smooth, 

 and unarmed. Petiolets from one to two inches long. 

 Panicles terminal, from two to four feet long, pendulous, 

 and composed of many, alternate, simple, globular, long- 

 pedicelled, small greenish-yellow flowers. Commonpediin- 

 cle armed ; partial or pedicells, with some little scaly brac- 

 tes ; all are round, and somewhat downy. Calyx five- 

 parted ; rfwmows ensiform. Petals Hye, oblong, patent. 

 Filaments five, rather shorter than the petals, inserted be- 

 tween them into a fleshy, crenate, poculiform body which 

 embraces the germ. Anthers two-lobed. Germ sunk in 

 the solid body just mentioned, two-celled, with one ovula 

 in each, attached to the top of the partition. Style two, 

 shorter than the stamina, coalesced. Stigma simple. 

 Berry inferior, nearly round somewhat succulent, black, 

 smooth, widely crowned with the remaining five-toothed 

 calyx ; size of a black currant, and not unlike one, two- 

 celled. Seed solitary, hemispheric, a small groove down 

 the middle of the inside, covered with a single, rather 

 tough, smooth integument. Perisperm conform to the seed, 

 cartilaginous. Embryo small, inverse, lodged on the out- 

 side of the upper half of the perisperm. Cotyledons 

 small, oblong. Radicle oblong, superior. 



J 2 



