THE HERCULES' CLUB (Aralia spinosa, Linn.). Shrub to 

 15 feet. Spreading, aromatic, spiny bush, with many stout 

 stems from the roots, or tree with club-like, spreading 

 branches, growing very fast. Bark brown, cleft into rounded, 

 broken ridges. Spines curved or straight, scattered over bark 

 of stalks and twigs, even petioles of leaves. Leaves clustered 

 at ends of branches, compound, 3 to 4 feet long, 2 feet wide, 

 on spiny petiole 18 to 20 inches long. Leaflets oval, pointed, 

 serrate, turning yellow. Flowers minute in umbels com- 

 pounded to form a pyramidal crown of bloom at the top of 

 the tree 3 or 4 feet high, straw-colored in midsummer. Fruit 

 few, berry-like, purple, juicy, in August. Dist. : Deep soil 

 near streams; Allegheny slopes in Pennsylvania to Indiana 

 and Missouri; south to Florida and Texas. Cultivated. The 

 most luxuriant-growing tree in the temperate zone. Shoots 

 from roots grow 15 to 20 feet in a season. 



