THE POLYPETALOUS ORDERS. 



425 



son. A drachm of the fresh root has killed a boy in less than 

 two hours. 



801. Ord, Araliaceae (the Spikenard Family). A small family, 

 scarcely differing from Umbelliferse in botanical character, except 

 that the ovary is mostly composed of more than two carpels, which 

 do not separate when ripe, but become drupes or berries ; and 

 the albumen is not hard like horn, but only fleshy. Ex. Aralia 

 (the Spikenard, the Wild Sarsaparilla, and the Angelica-tree), 

 Panax (Ginseng), and Hedera (the Ivy). Their properties are 

 aromatic, stimulant, somewhat tonic, and alterative. 



802. Ord, Cornaceae (the Cornel Family). Chiefly trees or shrubs ; 

 with the leaves almost always opposite, destitute of stipules. Flow- 

 ers in cymes, sometimes in heads surrounded by colored involu- 

 cres. Calyx coherent with the two-celled ovary ; the very small 



FIG. 733. Flower of Osmorrhiza longistylis. 734. Umbel of the same in fruit : a, the invo- 

 lucels. 735. The ripe mericarps separating from the axis or carpophore. 736. Cross-section 

 of the fruit of Angelica, where the lateral ribs are produced into wings: the black dots repre- 

 sent the vittae, as they appear in a cross-section. 737. One of the mericarps of the same, show- 

 ing the inner face, or commissure, as well as the transverse section, with two of the vittae, a. 



FIG. 738. Flower of Aralia nudicaulis (Wild Sarsaparilla) ; a vertical section, displaying 

 two of the cells of the ovary. 739. Cross-section of the ovary. 740. Longitudinal section of a 

 seed, magnified, showing the small embryo at the upper end. 



36* 



