52 HOUGH'S AMERICAN WOODS. 



ORDER ARALIACEJE : GINSENG FAMILY. 



Leaves mostly compound and alternate, petioles dilated and sometimes thickened 

 at the base; stipules none. Flowers small, polypetalous (or rarely apetalous), often 

 polygamous, mostly umbellate and the umbels solitary, racemed or panicled; calyx 

 adherent to the ovary; its small limb being entire or toothed; petals 5-10 valvate (not 

 inflected) in the bud; stamens of same number as petals and alternate with them; 

 styles and cells of the ovary usually more than two (3-5). Fruit baccate or drupa- 

 ceous, 3-5-celled, one seed in each cell; albumen fleshy. 



Represented by trees, shrubs and herbs. 



GENUS ARALIA, TOURN. 



Leaves compound or decompound. Flowers white or greenish; calyx with teeth 

 nearly or quite obsolete; petals 5, spreading, oblong or obovate, epigynous, decidu- 

 ous; stamens epigynous; styles mostly distinct and slender, in sterile flowers short 

 and united. Fruit as described for the order. 



(Derivation of name obscure.) 



8. ARALIA SPINOSA, L. 



HERCULES'-CLUB, ANGELICA-TREE, TOOTHACHE-TREE. 



Ger., Dornige Bergangelike; Fr., Aralia espineuse; Sp., Aralia espinosa. 



SPECIFIC CHARACTERS: Leaves very large, pinnately decompound, with ovate, 

 pointed, serrate, sessile leaflets, pale glaucous beneath. Flowers (July, August,) 

 polygamous or perfect, in numerous umbels, and these forming large, compound 

 panicles. 



(Spinosa, a Latin word meaning thorny, spiny.} 



A small tree with trunk branches and petioles furnished with spines. 

 Often hardly more than a shrub, but in the south, and occasionally in 

 favorable, situations in the north attaining the dimensions of 20 to 30 

 ft. (6 to 9 m.) or more in height, and 12 in. (30 cm.) in diameter of 

 trunk at base. Bark of an aromatic, bitterish and somewhat acrid taste. 

 The tree from which the sections of this species were cut measured 27 

 ft. (8.22 m.) in height and 30 in. (76.2 cm.) in girth of trunk at base. 

 It grew on the grounds of Dr. Parker, of Ithaca, N. Y., and must be 

 considered a very large tree of its kind for so northern a climate. 



HABITAT. Found native from Pennsylvania to Kentucky and south- 

 ward, along river banks and in damp woods. Is grown in cultivation out- 

 side of that range. 



PHYSICAL PROPERTIES. Wood light and brittle, seeming, when 

 fresh, of an almost herbaceous or succulent nature, brownish-yellow of 

 various tints. 



USES. An ornamental shade-tree, particularly interesting from its 

 curious, very large, decompound leaves. The timber is of little or no 

 value for manufacturing purposes. 



MEDICINAL PROPERTIES of this species are "stimulant, diaphoretic, 

 and an infusion of the recent bark is said to be emetic and cathartic. 



