127. P. quinquefolium Linn. sp. pi. 1512. Woodv. med. hot. 

 t. 58. Sot. Mag. 1. 1023. Bigelow med. hot. ii. t. 29. Jartoux 

 in Phil, trans, xxviii. 237. DC. prodr. iv. 252. The north- 

 western parts of China, in thick forests; and in similar situations 

 in North America. 



Root of 1 or more fleshy oblong and somewhat fusiform fangs, of a 

 whitish colour, transversely wrinkled, and terminating in fibres ; its 

 upper portion slender and marked with the scars of former shoots. 

 Stem smooth, round, green, often with a tinge of red, regularly 

 divided at top into 3 petioles, with a flower-stalk in their centre. 

 Petioles round, smooth, swelling at base. Leaves 3, ternate, quinate, 

 or septenate. Leaflets pedicellate, obovate, sharply serrate, acuminate, 

 smooth on both sides, with scattered bristles on the veins above. 

 Umbel simple, on a round, slender peduncle, longer than the petioles. 

 Involucre of a multitude of short subulate bracts, interspersed among 

 the flower-stalks, which are so short as to give the appearance of a 

 head rather than an umbel. Calyx with 5 small acute teeth. Petals 

 5, oval, reflexed and deciduous. Stamens 5, with oblong anthers. 

 Styles 2, reflexed, persistent ; ovary large, inferior, ovate heart-shaped, 

 compressed. Berries kidney-shaped, retuse at both ends, compressed, 

 of a bright scarlet colour, crowned with the calyx and styles, and con- 

 taining 2 semicircular seeds. Sometimes there are 3 styles and 3 seeds. 

 The outermost florets ripen first, and their berries often obtain their 

 full size before the central ones are expanded. The central florets 

 are frequently abortive. Root an agreeable bitter sweet, with some 

 aromatic pungency. Has a prodigious reputation among the Chinese as a 

 stimulant and restorative under the nameof" Gin-seng," but by Europeans 

 and Americans considered nothing more than a demulcent, approaching 

 liquorice in its qualities. This however requires further investigation, 

 for we cannot believe that all the Chinese say, believe, and practise is 

 fabulous or imaginary. Is the Tartarian plant the same as the North 

 American ? Under what circumstances are they each collected ? 



ARALIA. 



Calyx very minute, entire or toothed. Petals 5, distinct and 

 spreading at the apex. Stamens 5. Styles 5, spreading. Berry 

 5-celled, generally rugged. Stones papery. 



128. A. nudicaulis Linn. sp. pi. 393. Raf. med. bot. i. t. 8. 

 DC. prodr. iv. 257. North America. 



Stemless. Radical leaf solitary ; petiole trifid ; lobes pinnated with 

 an odd one ; segments 5, ovate, acute, serrated. Scape shorter than 

 the leaf, trifid at the apex. Umbels 3, many-flowered, without invo- 

 lucres. An alterative and tonic, affirmed by American writers to be as 

 valuable a medicine as sarsaparilla. 



129. A. hispida Michx.fl. am. sept. \. 185. is a sudorific. 



130. A. spinosa Linn, sp.pl. 392. ; a tincture of its wood used 

 in Virginia to allay the spasms in colic. 



59 



