versa), we undertook a study to clarify the taxonomic and 
nomenclatural position of this taxon. 
The genus Eleutherococcus> was established by Maximo- 
wicz in 1859 with E. senticosus as the type species, on the basis 
of plant specimens collected from Amur and Ussuri (Siberia). 
Previously, this plant was known to Ruprecht and Maximo- 
wicz as Hedera senticosa Rupr. & Maxim. (1857), but later 
Maximowicz recognized it as belonging to a new taxon, for 
which he introduced the name Eleutherococcus, and re-named 
the plant Eleutherococcus senticosus (Rupr. & Maxim.) 
Maxim. 
The genus Acanthopanax* was established by Miquel in 
1863, when he raised the subgenus Acanthopanax Decne. & 
Pl., of the genus Panax L., into a generic status. A new taxon, 
Acanthopanax spinosum Miq., accompanied the generic de- 
scription. 
In 1898, Harms merged Eleutherococcus into the genus 
Acanthopanax, and the name of our plant became Acantho- 
panax senticosus (Rupr. & Maxim.) Harms. After 1898, some 
authors continued to use the binomial FE. senticosus (e.g., 
Nakai, 1924; Liou, 1959: including the references cited there- 
in), while others used A. senticosus (e.g., Schneider, 1912; 
Harms & Rehder, 1916; Rehder, 1922; Li, 1942). 
The union of the genera by Harms demonstrates that a close 
taxonomic relationship exists. Subsequently, Harms treated 
members of Eleutherococcus under the Section Eleutherococ- 
cus of the genus Acanthopanax, whereas members of Acan- 
thopanax were treated under the Section Ewacanthopanax. 
The creation of these two Sections within the genus clearly 
indicates that Harms did recognize the differences that sepa- 
rate the two plant groups. 
In 1924, Nakai re-instated the generic status of Eleuthero- 
coccus, but in 1942, Li treated Eleutherococcus again under 
Acanthopanax, as did Harms (1898). In 1950, once again, the 
genus Eleutherococcus was re-instated in the Flora of the 
U.S.S.R. (Poyarkova, 1973). 
After studying specimens belonging to Eleutherococcus and 
iPro the Greek pleuthovens = free, and coccon = seed. 
4From the Greek akanthos = thorn or spine, and Panax = name of genus. 
340 
