162 ELEME^^TS OF BOTANY. 



long-petioled, bipiuiiately compound, leaflets stalked, ovate, acumi- 

 nate at the apex, obtuse and inequilateral at the base, serrate, thick, 

 smooth and shining above, glaucous and slightly pubescent beneath, 

 often with smaller leaflets intermixed ; umbels in very large, ter- 

 minal, hoary or pubescent panicles ; flowers small, white ; styles 

 distinct; fruit ovoid, 5-lobed, black, about as long as the pedicel. 

 June-August. In swamps, often cultivated. 



2. A. RACEMOSA L. Spikenard. Perennial herb ; root thick, 

 aromatic ; stem erect, smooth, widely branched, 3-5 ft. high ; leaves 

 ternately decompound, leaflets cordate, acuminate at the apex, sharply 

 and doubly serrate ; umbels in large panicles ; flow^ers small, greenish ; 

 styles united below ; fruit dark brown or purple, globose. June- 

 July. In rich woods. 



3. A. NUDicAULis L. Sarsaparilla. Perennial herb ; roots 

 very long, somewhat fleshy, aromatic ; stem very short or none ; leaf 

 solitary from a sheathing base, petioled, 6-12 in. long; ternately 

 divided, the divisions o-5-pinnate ; leaflets oval or ovate, acuminate, 

 finely and sharply serrate, smooth above, often pubescent below ; 

 scape nearly as long as the petiole, usually bearing o short-peduncled 

 umbels ; flowers greenish ; styles distinct ; fruit globose, black. May- 

 June. In rich woods. 



II. PANAX. 



Perennial herbs ; root fleshy, aromatic ; stem naked, with 

 a whorl of palmately compound leaves and a single umbel of 

 greenish flowers at its summit ; calyx minutely 5-tootlied ; 

 petals and stamens 5 ; styles 2-3 ; fruit a drupe-like berry 

 with 2-3 seeds. 



' P. QUiNQUEFOLiuM L. GiNSENG. Root fusiform, often forked, 

 3-5 in. long ; stem erect, glabrous ; leaflets 5-7, stalked, the upper 

 longer, oval or obovate, acuminate at the apex, sharply and unevenly 

 serrate; umbel 5-15-flowered, pedicels short, peduncles 1-2 in. long; 

 flowers small, greenish-yellow ; styles 2 ; berry compressed-globose, 

 bright red, 2-3-seeded. June-August. In rich, shady woods. 



00. UMBELLIFERiE. PARSLEY FAMILY. 



Herbs ; stems usually hollow and grooved ; leaves alternate, 

 simple, compound or decompound, base of the petiole usually 

 sheathing ; flowers small, in simple, compound or decompound 

 umbels, or sometimes in close heads ; base of the umbel usually 



