III.l 



L OR ANT II A CEAL. 



mense number (about 1,500) of species, so that botanists 

 find it convenient to treat Araliaceae as a distinct Family, 

 although their technical differences are of small absolute 

 importance. 



The Ivy is the sole representative of the Family in Britain. 

 The same very variable species is native in the Himalaya 

 and Khasia mountains. The Ginseng root, highly prized 

 by the Chinese as a restorative medicine, and sometimes 

 sold at from 20 to 250 times its weight in silver, is the pro- 

 duce of an herbaceous species of Panax, native in tem- 

 perate Eastern Asia. Rice paper is the pith of a shrubby 

 Aralia growing in the island of Formosa. It is cut into 

 small sheets from the thick cyHnder of pith, with long 

 knives. 



50. Natural Order, Loranthacece. — The Mistletoe Family. 



Parasitical shrubs, with opposite or alternate leaves. 

 Stamens opposite perianth-lobes. Ovary inferior. Fruit 

 one-seeded. 



Type — Loranthus bicolor. 



A woody parasite, with opposite entire leaves and axillary 

 racemes of slender, showy, scarlet and green flowers. 



