xxxvi. aralia'ce^ : he'dera. 497 



I 



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



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



i cent plant, with the liabit of a tree. Carolina and V'iiginia, in low, fertile, 



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



j greenish white ; August and September. 



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

 ' the rheumatism. In British gardens, this species is pro])agated 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 Tkunh. The Japan Aralia. 



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

 j Engravins- Our^.2091 . in p.] 1 07- 



I 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 

 i woolly on both surfaces. (Dim's Mill.) A sufitrutescent erect shrub. Japan, 

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

 1 Fruit striated. 



Genus II. 



I 



i/E'DERA Sivartz. The Ivy. Lin, Si/st. Pent-Decandria, and Pent- 



IDecagjnia. 

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

 Syiuinyvies. Aralia sect. Gymn6pterum Blum. Bijdr. p. 871. ; J/edera and Aralia sp. Lin. ; Lierre, 

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



\Deiii'aiion. Various etymologies have been proposed for the word Hidera ; but the most probable 

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

 j word Ivy is derived from the Celtic word, iiv, green. 



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

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

 I niving, or joined in one. Berry 5 lO-celled. (Dons Mill.) 



Leai'ei- simple, alternate, exstipulate, evergreen; lobed. FloiversumhQWaXe 

 I or capitate. Fruit dark purple, or black. 



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

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



t, \. H. He^ix L. The comwon Ivy. 



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



'irivation. //elix is derived from eileo, to encompass, or turn round ; in reference to the clasping 

 >tems, which, however, are not twining. 



I'cc. Char., <^-c. Stems climbing, throwing out roots from their sides to any 

 Libject next which ihey 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, pube.scent. (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. 



(irieties. DeCandoUe has enumerated three forms of this species which are 

 independent of the varieties cultivated in British gardens : 



K K 



