200 FAMILIES OF FLOWERING PLANTS 
8 genera and about 94 species, of wide geographic distribution. They 
are herbs, mainly aquatic, with alternate or whorled leaves and small 
flowers. The mare’s-tail or bottle-brush (Hippuris vulgaris), the mermaid- 
weed (Proserpinacea) and the several species of water-milfoil (Myrio- 
phyllum) are common in our ponds, lakes and streams. Among the few 
terrestrial forms Gunnera is noteworthy. They are magnificent lawn 
foliage plants, the leaves of G. marveata being from 5-10 feet across, and 
the crown of great leaves spreading 25 feet or more. 
Family Cynomoriaceae. Cynomorium Family. A single genus 
and species (Cynomorium coccineum), of the Mediterranean region and 
Western Asia. It is a fleshy red herbaceous plant about a foot in 
height. 
CuapteR XX VII.—Order UMBELLALES, 
This is a small but interesting and relatively important order, embrac- 
ing three families. They are herbs, shrubs, or trees, and almost always 
have petaliferous flowers. Calyx-segments and petals mostly 5, stamens 
4or5. The ovary is inferior, adnate to the calyx, compound, and has 
a single ovule in each cell. 
Family Araliaceae. Ginseng Family. A family of herbs, shrubs or 
trees of about 50 genera and 450 species, widely distributed in temper- 
ate and tropical regions. North America possesses only 3 genera and 
about 10 species. They have alternate or whorled leaves, and mostly 
perfect flowers in umbels, heads or racemes. The calyx-tube adheres to 
the ovary and has the usually 5 petals inserted in its margin. Stamens 
as many as the petals and alternate with them. Fruit a berry or drupe 
resulting from the 1-several celled ovary. 
Aralia is perhaps the most important genus. They are herbs, shrubs 
or trees with pinnately or ternately decompound leaves. Aralia spinosa, 
the Hercules’ club, a tall shrub or small tree of Hastern North America, 
has the stem, branches and petioles strongly spiny; A. racemosa, the 
American spikenard, is an unarmed herbaceous plant 3-6 feet high, and 
A. nudicaulis is the wild or Virginia sarsaparilla which is quite widely 
employed in medicine. Several other species of Aralia are in orna- 
mental cultivation, mainly as greenhouse plants. Panax is a genus of 
about 7 species, natives of Hastern North America. They are erect per- 
ennial herbs from globose or elongated aromatic roots. American 
ginseng (P. quinquefolia), of rich woods, is gathered in large quantities 
for exportation to China, where it is highly prized for its tonic, aromatic 
properties and commands high prices. The only other American species 
