ARALIACE^E. 



165 



A climbing evergreen shrub, with coriaceous, shining 

 leaves, and inconspicuous, umbellate flowers. (The only 

 British species.) 



Compare the fruit of Ivy with that of an Umbellifer. 

 The chief difference is in the increased number of carpels, 

 which do not separate from each other when ripe, in the 

 former. A species of Panax growing in the north of 

 China and Mantchuria affords ginseng, highly esteemed 

 as a restorative medicine by the Chinese. It is sold 

 at from 20 to 250 times its weight in silver, though 

 possessing no active medicinal properties. 



Rice-paper is prepared from the pith of Aralia papyri- 

 fera, a tree of Formosa : the pith is cut spirally and 

 unrolled into small squares of 2^ or 3 inches, which are 

 sold by the Chinese for i\d. or \^d. per 100. 



31. Natural Order. Loranthaceae. The Mistletoe 

 Family. 



DISTRIBUTION. Tropics of both hemispheres, with 

 comparatively few species in the temperate zones.- One 

 British genus, species i. 



Type Common Mistletoe ( Viscum albzim). 



A dichotomous parasitical shrub, with opposite leathery 

 leaves, and inconspicuous dioecious flowers. (The only 

 British species.) 



