CHAP. LIX. 



ARALIA CE^E. HE DERA. 



999 



Derivation. According to some, from ara, annoyance, the spines being very troublesome, in its 

 native country, to travellers ; but, according to others, anameof unknown meaning, under which 

 one species was sent to Fagon, at Paris, from Quebec, in 1764, by one Sarrazin, a French phy- 

 sician. 



Description. A shrub, with a single stem, having the habit of a tree; and 

 bearing large compositely divided leaves, peculiar in character among shrubs, 

 and very interesting. 



The spiny Aralia, or Angelica Tree. 



Identification. Lin. Sp., p. 392. ; Don's Mil!., 3. p. 389. ; Lodd. Cat., ed. 1836. 

 Si/noni/>H?s. Aralie, Fr. and Ger. ; Spikenard, A T . 



A. SPINOZA L. 



389. 



Si/noni/>H?s. Aralie, Fr. and Ger. ; Spikenard, A T . Amcr. 

 Engravings. Schmidt Arb., t. 102. and t. lU3.; Wats. Dend. Brit, t. 116. ; and our fig. ~~)i. 



Spec. Char.,$c. Stem arboreous and prickly. Leaves doubly and trebly 

 pinnate. Leaflets ovate, acuminated, and deeply serrated. Panicle much 

 branched, beset with 

 velvety stellate down. 

 Umbels numerous. 

 Involucre small, of 

 few leaves. Petals 

 white and reflcxed. 

 Styles 5, divaricate, 

 arched. Fruit 5-rib- 

 bed. (Don's Mill., iii. 

 p. 389.) A tree, 

 growing to the height 

 of 10ft. or 12ft., with 

 a single erect stem; 

 a native of Carolina 

 and Virginia, in low, 

 fertile, moist woo is. 

 Introduced in 1688 ; and flowering in August and September. An infu- 

 sion of the fruit, in wine or spirits, is considered an effectual cure for the 

 rheumatism. In British gardens, this species is propagated 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 

 standing 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." It is found in South Carolina, near Charleston. 



There arc some other siiffniticose species of Aralia, hardy or half-hardy, natives of North or South 

 America, such as A. hispida, Bot. Cab. 1. 1306., which are barely shrubby ; and some shrubby s 

 natives of Japan, Cochin-China, or New Zealand, which are not yet sufficiently known, an. 

 not been introduced. 



GENUS II, 



7/E'DERA Swartz. THE 



species, 

 id have 



IVY. Lin. Syst. Pent-Decandria, and Pent- 

 Decagynia. 



1. Ind. Occ., p. 581. ; D. Don Prod. Nep., p. 186.; Dec. Prod., 



~'Fr '* Fplici^^' SeCt ' G y mn6 P terum Blum - S V dr -> P- 871. ; /Wdera, and Ar&lia sp. Lin. ; Lierre, 

 Derivation. Various etymologies have been proposed for the word 7/t'dera ; but the most probable 



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



word Ivy is derived from the Celtic word, iw, green. 



Description. The hardy sorts are evergreen shrubs, climbing by the clasping 

 roots produced by their stems ; but there are a number of species considered 

 at present to be of this genus, natives of warm climates, growing to the height 

 of from 15 ft. to 20 ft. without support. 



