xxxvi. ARALIA'CE^E : #E'DERA. 497 



merous. Involucre small, of few leaves. Petals white and reflexed. Styles 

 5, divaricate, arched. Fruit 5-ribbed. (Don's Mill.) An erect suffrutes- 

 cent plant, with the habit of a tree. Carolina and Virginia, in low, fertile, 

 moist woods. Height 10ft. to 12ft. Introduced in 1688. Flowers 

 greenish white ; August and September. 



An infusion of the fruit, in wine or spirit, is considered an effectual cure for 

 the rheumatism. In British gardens, this species is propagated by cuttings of 

 the roots ; and, from its large doubly and trebly pinnate leaves, it forms a 

 singularly ornamental plant, with a spreading, umbrella-like head, when stand- 

 ing singly on a lawn. After the plant flowers, the stem commonly dies down 

 to the .ground, like that of the raspberry, and, like it, is succeeded by suckers. 

 Pursh " mentions a variety in which the petioles of the leaves are without 

 prickles." 



& 2. A. JAPO'NICA Thunb. The Japan Aralia. 



Identification. Thunb. Jap., p. 128. ; Blume Bijdr., p. 371. ; Don's Mill., 3. p. 389. 

 Engraving. Our.^.2091 . in p.l 107- 



Spec. Char., $c. Stem shrubby, unarmed. Leaves petiolate, 7-nerved, 7-lobed ; 

 lobes ovate, serrated at the apex. Panicles terminal. Peduncles umbel- 

 liferous. Leaves coriaceous, glabrous in the adult state, but when young 

 woolly on both surfaces. (Don's Mill.) A sutfrutescent erect shrub. Japan, 

 near Nagasaki. Height 5 ft. to 6 ft. Introduced in 1838. Flowers white 

 Fruit striated. 



GENUS II. 



HE'DERA Swartz. THE Ivy. Lin, Syst. Pent-Decandria, and Pent- 



Decagynia. 



Identification. Swartz Fl. Ind. Occ., p. 581. ; Dec. Prod., 4. p. 261. ; Don's Mill., 3. p. 391. 

 Synonymes. Aralia sect. Gymndpterum Blum. Bijdr. p. 871. ; Hedera. and Aralia sp. Lin. ; Lierre, 



Fr. ; Ephen, Ger. ; Edera, Ital. 

 Derivation. Various etymologies have been proposed for the word Hldera ; but the most probable 



supposition appears to be, that it is derived from the Celtic word hedira, a cord. The English 



word Ivy is derived from the Celtic word, iw, green. 



Gen. Char. Calyx margin elevated or toothed. Petals 5 10, not cohering 

 at the apex in the form of a calyptra. Stamens 5 10. Styles 6 10, con- 

 niving, or joined in one. Berry 5 10-celled. (Dons Mttl.) 



Leaves simple, alternate, exstipulate, evergreen ; lobed. Flowers umbellate 

 or capitate. Fruit dark purple, or black. 

 Evergreen shrubs, climbing by the clasping roots produced by their stems, 



or creeping on the ground when without support. Natives of Europe and Asia. 



fl_ 1 . H. //E V LIX L. The common Ivy. 



Identification. Lin. Sp., 292. ; Dec. Prod , 4. p. 261. ; Don's Mill., 3. p. 391. 



Derivation. Helix is derived from eileo, to encompass, or turn round ; in reference to the clasping 

 stems, which, however, are not twining. 



Spec. Char.y fyc. Stems climbing, throwing out roots from their sides to any 

 object next which they may be placed. Leaves coriaceous, glabrous, 

 shining, with 5 angular lobes ; those on the old upright and rectangular 

 branches, which form the tops of the plants, ovate, acute, quite entire. 

 Umbels simple, pubescent. (Don's Mill.) A well-known evergreen climber 

 and creeper. Europe and Britain, in woods. Stem 20 ft. to 60 ft. Flowers 

 greenish yellow, or greenish ; October and November. Fruit black ; ripe 

 in April. 



Varieties. DeCandolle has enumerated three forms of this species which are 

 independent of the varieties cultivated in British gardens : 



