ARALIACEAE (GINSENG FAMILY) 



605 



I 



nald. Stems elongate, completely submersed ; flowers in the axils of elongate 

 capillary-divided leaves. (M. ambiguum, var. capillaceum T. & G.) Ponds 

 and streams. 



9. M. tenellum Bigel. Flowering stems nearly leafless and scape-like, 7-35 

 cm. high, erect, simple ; the sterile shoots creeping and tufted ; leaves filiform, 

 undivided ; bracts small, entire ; flowers alternate, monoecious ; fruit smooth. 

 Borders of ponds and streams, Nfd. to Ont., s. to N. J., Pa., and Mich. 



2. PROSERPINACA L. MERMAID-WEED 



Flowers perfect. Calyx-tube 3-sided, the limb 3-parted. Petals none. Sta- 

 mens 3. Stigmas 3, cylindrical. Fruit bony, 3-angled, 3-celled, 3-seeded, nut- 

 like. Low perennial herbs, with the stems creeping 

 at base, alternate leaves, and small flowers sessile 

 in the axils, solitary or 3-4 together, in summer. 

 (Name applied by Pliny to a Polygonum, meaning 

 pertaining to Proserpine.} 



1. P. palustris L. Fertile leaves (those with 

 flowers or fruit in their axils) lanceolate, sharply 

 serrate, the sterile (often occurring above as well as 

 below the fertile) usually pectinate. Muddy borders 

 of ponds or in shallow water, 



N. B. to Fla., Tex., and Minn. 

 FIG. 813. 



2. P. pectinata Lam. Leaves 

 uniform, both fertile and sterile 



the divisions slightly rigid, linear- 

 Me. to Fla. 



813. P. palustris x %. 

 divided to the rhachis : 



awl-shaped. Sandy swamps, near the coast, 



and La., local. FIG. 814. 814. P. pectinata x %. 



3. HIPPURIS L. MARE'S-TAIL 



Flowers perfect or polygamous. Calyx entire. Style thread-shaped, stig- 

 matic down one side, received in the groove between the lobes of the large 

 anther. Fruit nut-like, 1 -celled, 1 -seeded. Perennial aquatics, with simple 

 entire leaves in whorls, and minute flowers sessile in the axils, in summer. 

 (Name from OTTOS, a horse, and ovpd, a tail.) 



1. H. vulgaris L. Stems simple, 1.5-6 dm. high ; leaves in whorls of 6-12, 

 linear, acute ; fruit nearly 2 mm. long. Ponds and streams, Lab. to Alaska, 

 s. to N. S., Me., Vt., N. Y., Ind., 111., Minn., Neb., and N. Mex. (Eu.) 



ARALIACEAE (GINSENG FAMILY) 



Herbs, shrubs, or trees with much the same characters as Umbelliferae, but 

 with usually more than 2 styles, and the fruit a few-several-celled drupe. 

 Albumen mostly fleshy. Petals 5, epigynous, not inflexed. Stamens 5, epigy- 

 nous, alternate with the petals. 



* Leaves compound. 



1. Aralia. Loaves alternate, compound, the ultimate divisions pinnate. Carpels 5 ; fruit black. 



2. Panax. Leaves whorled, paluiately 3-7-foliolate. Carpels 2-3 ; fruit red or yellow. 



* * Leaves simple but palrnately lobed. 



3. Fatsia. Leaves orbicular, cordate, palniately lobed, scattered. Carpels 2 ; fruit red, 2-seeded. 



1. ARALIA [Tourn.] L. 



Flowers polygamous. Petals slightly imbricated in the bud. Ovary 5-celled ; 

 ovules solitary, anatropous, suspended in the cells. Leaves compound or de- 

 compound. Flowers white or green, in umbels or panicles. Qualities aromatic. 

 (Derivation obscure.) 



