HAMAMELIDACE^. 141 



4. A. spinosa Linn. : arborescent; stem and petioles prickly ; leaves doubly 

 or triply pinnate ; leafets ovate, acuminate, sessile ; umbels numerous, in 

 compound panicles ; involucre small, few-leaved. 



Fertile woods. Penn. to Geor. W. to Miss. Aug., Sept. T^- — Stem S— 12 

 ''sometimes 30 or 40)) feet high, with the leaves crowded at the summit. Flowers 

 white, in very large terminal panicles. A watery infusion of the bark is said to 

 be both emetic and cathartic. Ell. Sk. i. 373. Angelica Tree. 



2, PANAX. jLi?m.— Ginseng. 



(From the Greek -rrav, all, and axdj, a cure; being' considered by the Chinese 

 as a remedy for all diseases.) 



Calyx with the margin very short and obsoletely 5-toothed. 

 Petals 5. Stamens 5, inserted under the margin of the disk 

 and alternating with the sepals. Styles 2 — 3, short. Fruit 

 fleshy, compressed, orbiculate or didymous, 2-celled ; cells 1- 

 seeded. — Flowers in simple umbels, polygamous. 



1 . P. qtcinquefolium Linn. : root fusiform, sometimes branched ; stem 

 angular ; leaves ternate-quinate ; leafets on distinct petioles, oval, acumi- 

 nate, serrate ; peduncles shorter than the petioles ; styles and seeds 2. 



Woods. Can. to Geor. June, July. %.. — Root 3 — 6 inches long and aro- 

 matic. Stem about a foot high, divided at the top. Flowers greenish-yellow, 

 8 — 16 in an umbel. The root is highly esteemed by the Chinese for its supposed 

 medicinal properties. Common Ginseng. 



2. P. trifoliuvi Linn. : root roundish ; stem simple, smooth ; leaves ter- 

 nate ; leafets subsessile, oblong-lanceolate, serrate ; styles often 3 ; berry 

 3-seeded. 



Woods. Can. to Geor. May. %. — Stem 4 — 6 inches high. Leaves rarely 

 quinate. Flowers white, 20 — 40 in an umbel. Dwarf Ginseng. 



Order LXII. HAMAMELIDACE^.— Witchhazels. 



Calyx adherent, in 4 or 5 pieces. Petals 4 or 5, or none. 

 Stamens 8, 4 alternate with the petals, and 4 sterile placed at 

 the base of the petals. Ovary 2-celled ; styles 2. Fruit half 

 inferior, capsular, usually opening with two septiferous valves. 

 Seeds pendulous ; albumen horny. — Small trees or shrubs, with 

 alternate deciduous leaves. Flowers axillary, often polyga- 

 mous. 



HAMAMELIS. i^m7i.— Witchhazel. 

 (Origin of the name uncortain.) 



Calyx 4-lobed, with 2 — 3 bracteoles at the base. Petals 4, 

 long, ligulate. Sterile stamens scale-like, and opposite the 

 petals. Styles 2, short. Capsule coriaceous, 2-celled, 2-valved 

 at the top. 



