ARALIACE^E. 151 



Trees, shrubs or herbaceous plants with the habit of umbelli- 

 ferse. 



1. ARALIA. Linn. 



Calyx 5-toothed or entire. Corol 5-petalled. Stamens 5, 

 often more. Styles 5, spreading. Berry 5 10-seeded, 

 crowned with the styles. Umbels often with small involucres. 



Pentandria. Pentagynia. 



1. A. nudicaulis Linn. : nearly stemless ; leaf mostly solitary, tri- 

 quinate ; leafets sessile, oblong-oval, acute, serrate, smooth ; scape 

 naked, shorter than the leaf, 3-cleft at the top ; umbels few, small, on 

 long peduncles, without involucres. 



HAB. Rocky woods. Can. to Car. N. to Arc. Amer. W. to 

 Rocky mountains. June, July. 11. Root thick and creeping, 

 aromatic. Flowers small, 3-umbelled, greenish. Wild Sarsaparila. 



2. A. racemosa Linn. : stem herbaceous, branched ; petioles 3-part- 

 ed ; divisions ternate and quinate ; leafets ovate, often cordate, acu- 

 minate, sharply serrate, mostly smooth ; umbels numerous, compound, 

 in large axillary panicles ; involucre small, few-leaved. 



HAB. Woods. Can. to Car. W. to Rocky mountains. June 

 Aug. T?. Stem 3 4 feet high. Flowers white. The root 

 is highly aromatic, and is sometimes used for medicinal purpo- 

 ses. Spikenard. 



3. A. hispida Mich. : low, sufFruticose ; stem and petioles hispid ; 

 leaves doubly pinnate ; leafets ovate, sharply serrate, unarmed ; um- 

 bels axillary and terminal, on long peduncles. 



HAB. Rocky woods. Can. to Virg. July. *?. Stem a foot 

 and a half high, with stiff and thick bristles at the base. Flow- 

 ers greenish-white. Wild Elder. 



4. A. spinosa Linn. : arborescent ; stern and leaves spinous f leaves 

 doubly pinnate ; leafets ovate-acuminate, sessile ; umbels numerous, in 

 compound panicles ; involucre small, few-leaved. 



HAB. Fertile woods. Penn. to Geor. W. to Miss. Aug., 

 Sept. T?. Shrub 8 12 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 ca- 

 thartic. Ell. Sk. i. 373. Angelica Tree. 



2. PANAX. Linn. 



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. 



Pentandria, Digynia. 



