ARAUACEAE. 



[VOL. II. 



i. Aralia spinosa L,. Hercules' Club. 

 Angelica or Spikenard Tree. ( Fig. 2626. ) 



Aralia spinosa L. Sp. PI. 273. 1753. 



A shrub or tree, reaching a maximum height 

 of about 40 and trunk diameter of 12', but usu- 

 ally much smaller. Stem, branches and petioles 

 spiny; leaves long-petioled, bipinnate, usually 

 with a leaflet at the base of each pinna; leaflets 

 ovate, thick, acute or acuminate, stalked, serrate, 

 dark green above, glaucous and sometimes 

 slightly pubescent beneath, i'-4 x long; umbels 

 very numerous, in terminal compound panicles; 

 involucels of several short bractlets; peduncles 

 and pedicels pubescent; flowers white, 2" broad ; 

 pedicels 3"-4" long in fruit; fruit ovoid, black, 

 5-lobed, about 3" long; styles distinct. 



In low grounds and along streams, southern New 

 York to Florida, west to Indiana, Missouri and 

 Texas. Freely planted for ornament, and sometimes 

 escaping from cultivation further north. June-Aug. 

 Also called Wild Orange, and Toothache-tree. 



a. Aralia racemosa L. American 

 Spikenard. Indian-root. (Fig. 2627.) 



Aralia racemosa L. Sp. PI. 773. 1753. 



Herbaceous, divergently much branched, un- 

 armed, 3-6 high, glabrous or slightly pubes- 

 cent. Roots large and thick, aromatic; leaves 

 ternately or rarely quinately compound, the di- 

 visions pinnate; leaflets broadly ovate or orbicu- 

 lar, thin, acuminate at the apex, cordate at the 

 base, 2 / -6 / long, sharply and doubly serrate, 

 sometimes pubescent on the veins beneath; um- 

 bels numerous, racemose-paniculate; peduncles 

 and pedicels puberulent; involucels of a few sub- 

 ulate bractlets; flowers greenish, about i" broad; 

 fruit nearly globular, dark purple or reddish- 

 brown, about 3" in diameter; styles united below. 



In rich woods, New Brunswick to Georgia, west 

 to Minnesota and Missouri. Called also Spignet. 

 July-Aug. 



, 



3. Aralia nudicaulis L,. Wild or Vir- 

 ginian Sarsaparilla. (Fig. 2628.) 



Aralia nudicaulis L. Sp. PI. 274. 1753. 



Acaulesccnt or nearly so. Rootstock long; leaf 

 usually solitary, arising with the peduncle from 

 the very short stem, both sheathed at the base 

 by dry thin ovate or orbicular scales; petioles 

 erect, 6 / -i2 / long; primary divisions of the leaf 

 ternate, slender-stalked, pinnately 3-5-foliolate; 

 leaflets sessile or short-stalked, oval or ovate, 

 acuminate at the apex, rounded or narrowed at the 

 base, finely serrate, 2'-5' long, often pubescent 

 on the veins beneath; peduncle usually shorter 

 than the petiole; umbels commonly 3, simple; 

 involucre none; pedicels slender, glabrous; 

 flowers greenish, i l A" broad; fruit globose, pur- 

 plish-black, about 3" long; 5-lobed when dry. 



In woods, Newfoundland to Manitoba, North 

 Carolina and Missouri. Called also Small Spike- 

 nard, Rabbit-root. May-June. 



Aralia nudicaulis proltfera A. C. Apgar, Bull. Torr. Club, 14: 166. 1887. 

 Leaves more divided and umbels compound. Perhaps a mere form. Western New Jersey. 



