A R A 



A R A 



Tt belongs to the class and order Tetradi/na- 

 mia Siliquosa, and ranks in the natural order of 

 SUimwsce, 



The characters are, that the calyx is a four- 

 leaved deciduous perianthium ; the leaflets from 

 parallel converging; the two opposite larger, 

 ovate, oblong, acute, a little prominent at the 

 base, gibbose, concave; the two others linear, 

 erect. The corolla four-petalled and cruciform. 

 The petals spreading, and ending in claws the 

 length of the calyx : the nectaries four, each 

 from a little scale within the bottom of the 

 calycine leaflet, affixed to_ I he receptacle, reflex 

 and permanent. The stamina consist of su- 

 bulate upright filaments ; two the length of the 

 calyx, four twice as long ; the antherae cordate 

 and erect. The pistillum a columnar germ, 

 the length of the stamina : no style; the stigma 

 obtuse, and entire. The pcricarpium is a 

 compressed, very long, linear, unequal silique, 

 with swellings at the seeds ; valves almost the 

 length of the partition; the seeds numerous, 

 roundish, and compressed. 



The species principally cultivated is the A. 

 Alpina, Alpine Wall-cress. 



It is a perennial plant, increasing very fast 

 by its creeping roots, which run obliquely near 

 the surface, and send out fibres at every joint. 

 The root-leaves are collected into heads, 

 spreading circularly : they are oblong, whitish, 

 and indented on their edges. From the mid- 

 dle of these heads arise the flowering stems, 

 which grow near a foot high ; with leaves on 

 them placed alternately, broader at their base 

 than those which grow below, and closely em- 

 bracing the stem. The flowers grow in loose 

 bunches towards the top : the petals are white, 

 obtuse and entire : the calyx is yellowish, 

 shorter by one third than the corolla. It is a 

 •native of the Alps, and flowers in April. 



Culture. — The propagation of this plant is rea- 

 dily effected by the seeds, or the parting of its 

 creeping roots. In the first method the seed may 

 either be sown in the autumn, or left to be scat- 

 tered by the plants. But in the latter, which is the 

 most common method, the roots are parted and 

 planted out in the autumn, in places where they 

 are to remain. 



It succeeds in almost any situation, and is 

 extremely hardy, of course adapted to cold 

 exposed situations, where the finer sorts of 

 flowering plants do not succeed. It affords a 

 pleasing variety when planted among shrubs, 

 in clumps, or borders; it is esteemed for its 

 very early flowering, and the pretty appearance 

 it makes in cold exposed situations, where few 

 others thrive. 



ARALIA, a genus comprehending plants of 



the herbaceous and woody kinds. The Berrv- 

 bearing Angelica, ant! Angelica Tree. 



It belongs to the class and order of Pentan* 

 dria Pentagijnia, and ranks in the natural order 

 of Hederacece. 



The characters are : that the calyx is a very 

 small involucre, of a globular umbellule : the' 

 perianthium five-toothed, very small, and su- 

 perior : the corolla consists of five ovate, acute, 

 sessile and reflex petals : the stamina have five 

 subulate filaments the length of the corolla : the 

 antherse are roundish : the pistillum is a roundish 

 germ, inferior : the styles very short but per- 

 manent, and the stigmas simple : the pericar- 

 pium, a roundish, striated, crowned, five-celled 

 berry : the seeds- hard, oblong and solitary. 



The species are : 1 . A. spinosa, Thorny Ara- 

 lia, or Angelica Tree; 2. A. racemosa, Berry- 

 bearing Aralia; 3. A., nudicaulis, Naked-stalked 

 Aralia. 



The first rises with a woody stem to the 

 height of eight or ten feet, dividing into several 

 branches, with branching leaves, composed of 

 many divaricated wings, with oblong leaflets : 

 the ribs of the leaves, as also the branches and 

 stem, are armed with strong crooked spines, 

 rendering the places where the plants grow in 

 plenty very difficult to pass through. The 

 flowers are produced in large loose umbels, at 

 the extremities of the branches, and are of an 

 herbaceous colour. The berrv is three-cornered 

 and three-celled. It is a native of Virginia. 



The second species grows three or four feet in 

 height, and divides into many irregular branches. 

 The leaves arc ramose and alternate : the pe- 

 duncles axillary, terminated by round umbels of 

 small four-leaved flowers, of a whitish colour; 

 succeeded by round channelled berries, which 

 when ripe are black. It flowers in July, and the 

 seeds ripen in October, and is a native of Ca- 

 nada. 



In the third species the stem is so very short 

 as scarcely to be called any : the leaves are de- 

 compound, with long petioles : the leaflets pin- 

 nate with five serrate pinnas. A scape arises be- 

 tween two leaves, which is trifid, or bears three 

 unibellules. It rises nearly to the same height 

 as the former. The flower-stalks spring imme- 

 diately from the root, snd are terminated by 

 round umbels of flowers, in shape and colour 

 like the foregoing ; but the berries are smaller. 

 It flowers towards the end of July, and the seeds 

 ripen late in the autumn. It is a native of Vir- 

 ginia. 



( '///lure. — The propagation in these plants 



may be accomplished either by sowing the 



seeds or dividing the roots. In the first method, 



with the first species, the seed^ should be sown 



U 2 



