780 



AUALIACE^E. 



[Epigynous Exogens. 



Order CCXCVII. ARALI ACE JE.— Ivyworts. 



Alalia, Juss. Gen. 217. (1789). — Araliacese. A. Richard hi Diclionnaire Chuiique d'llixtoire Naturelle, 

 1. 506. (1822); DC. Prodr. 4. 251. (1830); Barlliwj Ord. Nat. 237. (1830); Endl. Gen. clxiii. ; 

 Wight Illustr. 2. 1. 118. 



Diagnosis. — Umbellal Exogens, with a 3- or more-celled fruit without a double epigynous 

 disk, pentamerous flowers, a valvule corolla, alternate leaves without stipules, and 

 anthers turned inwards, opening lengthwise. 



Trees, shrubs, or herbaceous plants, with in all respects the habit of Urabellifers. 

 Calyx adherent, entire or toothed. Petals 

 definite, 2, 5, 10, deciduous, valvate in 

 aestivation, occasionally 0. Stamens equal 

 in number to the petals or twice as many, 

 arising from within the border of the 

 calyx, and from without an epigynous 

 disk. Ovary inferior, with more cells than 

 2 ; ovules solitary, pendulous, anatropal ; 

 styles equal in number to the cells, some- 

 times connate ; stigmas simple. Fruit 

 succulent or dry, consisting of several 

 1 -seeded cells. Seeds solitary, pendulous, 

 adhering to the pericarp ; albumen fleshy, 

 having a minute embryo at the base, with 

 its radicle pointing to the hilum. 



In many respects these plants are much 

 like Umbellifers, from which they are dis- 

 tinguished bvtheirovary having more cells 

 than 2, and by their greater tendency to 

 form a woody stem ; to this may also be 

 in general added a valvate corolla ; but 

 Didiscusis valvate among Umbellifers, and 

 Adoxa in Ivyworts is not. There is also 

 a connection with Caprifoils, established 

 by means of Hedera and Viburnum. 

 Vineworts, too, may be considered a mere 

 hypogynous form of Ivyworts, and must 

 be regarded as representing them in the 

 hypogynous sub-class, as will be most evi 



I'ig. DXVI. 



dent if Aralia racemosa is compared with certain species of Cissus. Gunnera, a 

 singular genus with dimerous $ $ or flowers, and a single ovule suspended from 

 the apex of the cavity, seems to be a degraded form of this Order, and the genus 

 Adoxa is also quite anomalous, though in a different way. Its stamens are slit half 

 way down, so as to appear as if made up of 2 half anthers each ; its petals are united 

 into an imbricated monopetalous corolla ; and it usually has a calyx whose sepals do 

 not correspond in number with the lobes of the corolla. De Candolle thought this 

 corolla to be a whorl of abortive stamens, but there does not appear to be any sufficient 

 ground for his opinion. See Decaisue in. Ann. Sc. Nat. n. s. vi. 72. In several instances 

 a tendency to the separation of stamens and pistil is observable ; it is usually, however, 

 accompanied by the common p structure. 



The species are found in the tropical and sub-tropical regions of all the world ; and 

 even in some of the coldest, as in the United States, Canada, the north-west coast of 

 America, and Japan. Aralia polaris was even found by Dr. Jos. Hooker, as far to the 

 south as Lord Auckland's group of islands, in 50i° south latitude. 



Similar as these plants are to Umbellifers they do not appear to partake in any consi- 

 derable degree of the dangerous qualities for which some of the latter are known. On 

 the contrary, they are more generally stimulant and aromatic. Neither do their succu- 

 lent fruits often yield the essential oil which renders many of the Umbellifers useful 

 carminatives and stomachics. The Ginseng, or Ginschen root, so highly prized by the 

 Cliinese as a stimulant, belongs to some species of Panax (P. Ginseng, Meyer) unknown. 

 Meyer describes it as having a sharp, aromatic, peculiar taste. The Chinese are said to 

 administer it in all diseases resulting from weakness of the body. — Chem. Gaz. 1843. 238. 



Fig. DXVI. — 1. Hedera Helix ; 2. flower of Dimorphanthus edulis iSieho/d) ; 3. perpendicular section 

 of the ovary ; 4. undivided ovary ; 5. ripe fruit ; 6. cross section of it ; 7. section of seed of H. Helix. 



