type. 



described j and branching is more common where the plants ar^ 

 well nourished, as in cultivation. One old rhizome preserved in 

 a museum in America has 65 scars of annual shoots. 



Fleshy roots are sometimes human in form, a likeness not hard 

 to increase by a little dexterous snipping. Such roots are the 

 most valued in China, and sell at an enormous price. A China- 

 man who cannot afiEord the long figure necessary for these is 

 content to purchase rhizomes, and the poorer put up with 

 scraps, classified in the Ghinese Customs Reports as "Beards, 

 Clippings, &c." 



The rhizome may be as thick as the little finger, or even 

 thicker ; when gathered in the height of summer it shrivels 

 in drying and becomes much wrinkled ; sometimes it closely 

 resembles that of Polygonatum officinale (Solomon's Seal) ; 

 sometimes it is swollen at intervals. 



We recognise the following varieties of Aralia quinquefoUa ; 

 for convenience a dichotomous key for them is given : — 

 Peduncle hardly exceeding the petioles ; 

 scale at the base of the annual shoot 

 papery ; American plant ... 

 Peduncle conspicuously exceeding the 

 petioles ; scale at the base of the annual 

 shoot sometimes fleshy ; Asiatic plants : 

 Larger leaflets so narrowing towards 

 the base that the sides are somewhat 

 rounded : 



Broadest part of the larger leaflets 

 at or above the middle : 



Rhizome very short ; root 



fusiform 



Rhizome long, creeping, with 

 fusiform roots attached or 

 not (?) : 

 Leaflets with few setae, 

 very conspicuously shin- 

 ing ; petiolule |— ^ in. 

 long, sometimes longer 

 Leaflets with plentiful 

 setae, usually less shin- 

 ing ; petiolule mostly 

 ^-1 in. long : 



Leaflets, when dry, 

 hardly translucent, 



large 



Leaflets, when dry, 

 translucent : 



Setae very abun- 

 dant, leaflets to 

 4^ ins. long ... 

 Setae less abun- 

 dant, leaflets to 



Broadest part of the 



. long... 

 r leaflets 



the base that the sides are straight... var. elegantio; 



