188 WILD FLOWERS AND FRUITS 



4. Plants over 3 ft., leaves alternate. 



Spikenard {Aralia racemosa). Ginseng famih\ 



Ht. several ft. ; leaves cotnpound, leaflets heart- 

 shaped, toothed and pointed. Fruit black (or red 

 or dark purple), berry-like, small, many in a long 

 cluster. Roadsides. Early autumn. 



High Blackberry {Riilms villosus). Rose family. 



Shrub, max. ht. 6 ft., with stout prickles. Fruit 

 in raceme. Midsummer. 



Rum Cherry {Prunus seroiina). Plum family. 



Tall tree; leaves alternate, dark, glossy, white 

 beneath, egg-shaped, pointed, toothed. Bark red- 

 dish when young, nearly black later. Fruit (drupe) 

 in loose, pendant clusters, each rounded, with 

 depression at top. Late summer. 



5. Plants not over 3 ft., leaves whorled. 



Indian Cucumber- root {Medeola Virginiana). Lily 

 famil3^ 

 Ht. abt. 2 ft. ; leaves in two whorls, lower 5-9 in- 

 versely egg-lance-shaped, pointed, without stalks; 

 upper of 3 (occasionally more), egg-shaped. Fruit 

 a few (3-5) purple, or black, berries, clustered on 

 red stalks, at top of stem, seeds 1-3. Early autumn. 



6. Plants not over 3 ft., leaves not whorled. 



Wild Sarsaparilla {Aralia nudicaulis). Ginseng 

 family. 

 Stem I ft. high, with a long-stalked leaf of many 

 pointed leaflets. Fruit on a leafless stem, small, 

 berry -like (drupes), in umbel, color black (or dark 

 purple). Midsummer. 



Huckleberry {Gaylussacia resinosa). Heath family. 

 Shrub, ht. i-few ft.; leaves oval-egg-shaped. 

 Fruit black, without bloom, edible, in short raceme- 

 like clusters. Midsummer. 



