350 BOTANY AND PHARMACOGNOSY. 



caparosa and /. scabra of tropical America, and the wood of sev- 

 eral species of Fuchsia. The roots of CEnothera biennis, 0. muri- 

 cata and other species of this genus are edible. 



k. HYDROCARYACE^ OR TRAPACE.S.— These are 

 aquatic plants comprising a single genus, one of which Trapa 

 natans or Water chestnut is naturalized to some extent in the 

 ponds of Massachusetts and New York. The fruit is coriaceous, 

 2- to 4-spinose, and i -seeded. The cotyledons are unequal, rich in 

 starch, and are edible, sometimes being ground and made into 

 bread by the people of Europe and Northern Asia. 



XXIII. ORDER UMBELLALES OR UMBELLIFLOR^. 



The plants of this order are widely distributed in northern 

 temperate regions although there are some representatives in the 

 Tropics. The flowers are small, 4- or 5-merous and epigynous. 



a. ARALIACE^ OR GINSENG FAMILY.— The plants 

 are mostly trees or shrubs with alternate, petiolate, simple or 3- to 

 7-compound leaves. The flowers are either in umbels or panicles. 

 The fruit is a drupe or berry. The best known representatives of 

 this family are the English ivy (Hedera helix) of Europe, and 

 Ginseng (Panax quinque folium) (Fig. 63) growing in the East- 

 ern and Central United States. This plant is the source of the 

 ginseng root of commerce, considerable quantities of which are 

 exported to China where it is used like the root oi Panax Ginseng, 

 a plant growing wild in Manchuria and Korea. Both plants are 

 also cultivated in the United States, the roots from the wild plants 

 being preferred. The root contains a volatile oil, and considerable 

 starch. Several species of Aralia are used in medicine (p. 450). 



The leaves of the English ivy contain the glucoside helixin, 

 and a carbohydrate, inosit. They also contain formic, oxalic, 

 malic, tannic and hederic acids, besides the yellow principle 

 carotin. The fruits of the ivy contain a purplish-red coloring 

 substance and are said to be poisonous. 



The Chinese rice paper is made from the pith of Tetrapanax 

 papyrifer which grows wild in Formosa and is extensively culti- 

 vated in China. The pith is cut spirally into thin strips which 

 are spread out flat and then cut into pieces varying from 15 to 



