344 



ARALIA 



ARALIA 



alternate, deciduous, pinnate to 3-pinnate: fls. small, 

 whitish, in umbels usually forming panicles; pedicels 

 articulate; calyx-lobes minute; petals imbricate in bud; 

 stamens 5; ovary 5-, rarely 2-celled, with the styles free 

 or connate only at the base: fr. a berry-like drupe with 

 2-5 compressed stones. -About 20 species in N. Amer., 

 Asia, Malay Archipelago and Austral. 



The aralias are large herbs, shrubs or small trees, often 

 spiny, with large decompound foliage, small whitish 

 flowers in umbels forming large terminal panicles and 

 followed by small usually black berry-like fruits. 



The species are hardy or nearly hardy North. They 

 prefer rich or heavy soil. They are often planted as single 

 specimens on the lawn for the bold subtropical effect of 

 their foliage. Propagation is by seeds sown in 

 spring, which do best with slight bottom-heat, 

 or by root-cuttings, also with bottom-heat. 



There are also a number of tender shrubby 

 plants cultivated as or- 

 namental greenhouse or 

 stove plants, which have 

 been provisionally re- 

 ferred to the genus 

 Aralia, as their flowers 

 and fruits are not yet 

 known; therefore it has 

 not been possible to de- 

 termine their true bo- 

 tanical affinity. In the 

 present work they are 

 referred to other genera. 

 They should be looked 

 for under Polyscias, 

 Pseudopanax, Scheffiera, 

 Oreopanax, Panax, Sci- 

 adophyllum, Dizygo- 

 theca. Other related 

 genera, perhaps not 

 including any horti- 

 culturally important 

 forms, are Hept apleu- 

 rum and Monopanax. 



A. Prickly shrubs or rarely 

 low trees: Ivs. bipinnate, 

 2-3 ft. long: umbels 

 numerous, in a large, 

 broad, compound pani- 

 cle: styles distinct. 

 spindsa, Linn. ANGELICA 

 TREE. HERCULES' CLUB. 

 DEVIL'S WALKING-STICK. 

 Sts. very prickly, 40 ft. 

 high: Ivs. 1 J^-2J-^ ft. long, 

 usually prickly above; Ifts. 

 ovate, serrate, 2-3 J^ in. 



long, glaucous and nearly 299. Aralia chinensis. 



glabrous beneath, mostly 



distinctly petioled; veins curving upward before the 

 margin. Aug. Southern states north to Tenn. S.S. 

 5:211. Gn. 50, p. 126. The stout, armed sts., the 

 large Ivs., and the enormous clusters of fls. give this 

 species a very distinct subtropical appearance. Not 

 quite hardy N. Bark possesses medicinal properties. 



chinensis, Linn. (A. japdnica, Hort. A. mand- 

 shurica, Hort. Dimorphdnlhus etitus, Miq. A. spindsa 

 var. cantscens, Franch. & Savat.). CHINESE ANGELICA 

 TREE. Fig. 299. Sts. less prickly, 40 ft.: Ivs. 2-4 ft. 

 long, usually without prickles ; If ts. ovate or broad ovate, 

 coarsely serrate or dentate, usually pubescent beneath, 

 nearly sessile, 3>-6 in. long; veins dividing before 

 reaching the margin and ending in the points of the 

 teeth. Aug., Sept. China, Japan. M.D.G. 1897:461. 

 Gn. 1, p. 561. G.W. 5:509. In general appearance 

 very much like the former species, but considerably 

 hardier. Grows well also in somewhat dry, rocky or 



clayey soil. Var. glabrescens, Schneid. (A. spindsa 

 var. glabrescens, Franch. & Savat. A. spindsa var. 

 canescens, Sarg. A. canescens, Sieb. & Zucc.). Lvs. 

 often prickly above; Ifts. glabrous beneath, except on 

 the veins, dark green above. More tender. Var. mand- 

 shurica, Rehd. (Dimorphdnlhus mandshuricus, Maxim.). 

 St. prickly: Ifts. pubescent only on the veins beneath, 

 more sharply and denselv serrate than the foregoing 

 variety and hardier. G.C. II. 10:592; 23:313. Var. 

 variegata, Rehd. (A. japdnica variegata, G.C.). Lfts. 

 bordered with white. I.H. 33:609. G.C. III. 31:231. 

 Gn. 63, p. 379. Var. ailreo-variegata, Rehd. (Dimor- 

 phdnthus mandschuricus elegantissimus fol. var., Hort.). 

 Lfts. variegated with yellow. 



AA. Unarmed herbs: styles 



united at the base. 

 B. Umbels numerous, in elon- 

 gated puberulous panicles: 

 3-10 ft. high. 



racemosa, Linn. SPIKE- 

 NARD. Height 3-6 ft.: gla- 

 brous, or slightly pubescent: 

 Ivs. quinately or ternately 

 decompound ; Ifts. cordate, 

 roundish ovate, 

 doubly and sharply 

 serrate, acuminate, 

 usually glabrous 

 beneath, 2-6 in. 

 long: fls. greenish 

 white. July, Aug. 

 E. N. Amer. west 

 to Minn, and Mo. 

 B.B. 2:506. Root- 

 stock employed 

 medicinally; prop- 

 erties similar to 

 those of sarsu- 

 parilla. 



californica, Wats. Height 

 810 ft.: resembles the pre- 

 ceding: Ifts. cordate, ovate or 

 oblong-ovate, shortly acuminate, simply 

 or doubly serrate: panicle loose; umbels 

 fewer, larger, and with more numerous 

 rays. Calif. M.D.G. 24:343. 



cordata, Thunb. (A. editlis, Sieb. & 

 Zucc.). Height 4-8 ft.: Ivs. ternately or 

 quinately decompound, pinnae sometimes 

 with 7 Ifts.; Ifts. cordate or rounded at 

 the base, ovate or oblong-ovate, abruptly 

 acuminate, unequally serrate, pubescent 

 on the veins beneath, 4-8 in. long. Japan. 

 Gt. 13:432 (as A. racemosa var. sachali- 

 nensis). R.H. 1896, p. 55. A.G. 13, pp. 

 6, 7. Young stalks edible: see Udo. 

 cachemirica, Deene. (A. cashmeridna, Hort. A. 

 macrophylUi, Lindl.). Height 5-8 ft.: Ivs. quinately 

 compound, pinnae often with 5-9 Ifts.; Ifts. usually 

 rounded at the base, oblong-ovate, doubly serrate; 

 glabrous or bristly on the veins beneath, 4-8 in. long. 

 Himalayas. 



BB. Umbels several or feiv on slender peduncles; pedicels 

 glabrous: 1-3 ft. high. 



hispida, Vent. BRISTLY SARSAPARILLA. WILD ELDER. 

 Height 1-3 ft., usually with short, woody St., bristly: 

 Ivs. bipinnate; Ifts. ovate or oval, rounded or narrowed 

 at the base, acute, sharply and irregularly serrate, 

 1-3 in. long: umbels 3 or more in a loose corymb; fls. 

 white. June, July. From Newfoundland to N. C., west 

 to Minn, and Ind. B.M. 1085. L.B.C. 14: 1306 Bark 

 diurectic, alterative. 



nudicaulis, Linn. WILD SARSAPARILLA. SMALL 

 SPIKENARD. Stemless or nearly so: usually 1 If., 1 ft. 



