780 



ARALIACE^. 



[Epigynous Exogens. 



Order CCXCVII. ARALIACE^.— Ivyworts. 



Aralise, Juss. Gen. 217. (1789). — Araliacese, A. Richard in Dictionnaire CUissique d'Histoire Naturelle, 

 1. 506. (1822); DC. Prodr. 4. 251. (1830); Bartling Ord. Nat. 237. (1830); Endl. Gen. clxiii. ; 

 Wight Illustr. 2. t. 118. 



Diagnosis. — Umbellal Exogens, %vith a 3- or more-celled fruit withoiU a double epigynous 

 disk, j^entcrmerous flowers, a vcdvate corolla, alternate leaves without stipules, and 

 anthers turned imvards, opening lengthioise. 



Trees, shrubs, or herbaceous plants, with in all respects tlie habit of UmbeUifers. 

 Calyx adherent, entu-e or toothed. Petals 

 definite, 2, 5, 10, deciduous, valvate in 

 aestivation, occasionally 0. Stamens equal 

 m number to the petals or twice as many, 

 arising from within the border of the 

 calyx, and from without an epigynous 

 disk. Ovary inferior, with more cells than 

 2 ; o\Tiles solitary, pendulous, anatropal ; 

 styles equal in number to the cells, some- 

 times connate ; stigmas simple. Fruit [ 

 succulent or dry, consisting of several 

 1 -seeded cells. Seeds sohtary, pendulous, 

 adlieriug to the pericarp ; albumen fleshy, 

 ha\dng a minute embryo at the base, with 

 its radicle pointing to the hUum. 



In many respects these plants are much 

 Uke UmbeUifers, from which they are dis- 

 tingidshed by their ovary having more cells 

 than 2, and by their greater tendency to 

 foi*m a woody stem ; to this may also be 

 in general added a valvate corolla ; but 

 Didiscus is valvate among Umbelhfers, and 

 Adoxa m Ivyworts is not. There is also 

 a connection with Caprifoils, established 

 by means of Hedera and Vibummn. 

 Vineworts, too, may be considered a mere 

 hypogj-nous fonn of Ivyworts, and must 

 be regarded as representuig them in the 

 hypogynous sub-class, as will be most e^^- 

 dent if Aralia racemosa is compared with certain species of Cissus. Gunnera, a 

 singular genus ^\'ith dimerous (J $ or ^ flowers, and a single OMile suspended from 

 the apex of the cavity, seems to be a degraded form of this Order, and the genus 

 Adoxa is also quite anomalous, though in a different way. Its stamens are sUt half 

 way down, so as to appear as if made up of 2 half anthers each ; its petals are united 

 into an imbricated monopetalous corolla ; and it usually has a <?alyx whose sepals do 

 not coiTespond in nimiber with the lobes of the corolla. De Candolle thought this 

 corolla to be a whorl of abortive stamens, but there does not appear to be any sufficient 

 ground for his opinion. See Decaisne in Ann. Sc. Nat. n. s. vi. 72. In several instances 

 a tendency to the separation of stamens and pistil is observable ; it is usually, however, 

 accompanied by the common structure. 



The species are found in the tropical and sub-tropical regions of all the world ; and 

 even in some of the coldest, as in the United States, Canada, the north-west coast of 

 America, and Japan. Aralia polaris was even fomid by Dr. Jos. Hooker, as far to the 

 south as Lord xVuckland's group of islands, in oOi'' south latitude. 



Similar as these plants are to UmbeUifers they do not appear to partake in any consi- 

 dex'able degi'ee of the dangerous qualities for which some of the latter are known. On 

 the contrary, they are more generally stimidant and aromatic. Neither do their succu- 

 lent fruits often yield the essential oil which renders many of the UmbeUifers useful 

 carmmatives and stomachics. The Ginseng, or Giuschen root, so highly prized by the 

 Chinese as a stimulant, belongs to some species of Panax (P. Gmseng, Meyer) miknown. 

 Meyer describes it as ha\'ing a sharp, aromatic, pecuhar taste. The Chinese are said to 

 administer it in all diseases resulting from weakness of the body. — Chc7n. Oaz. 1843. 238. 



Fig. DXVI. 



Fig. DXYI. — 1. Hedera Helix ; 2. flower of Dimoi-phanthus edulis {Sicbold) ; 3. perpendicular section 

 of the ovary ; 4. undl\ided ovary ; 5. ripe fruit ; 6. cross section of it ; 7. section of seed of H. Ilelix. 



