CXIV. AEALIACEiE. 



471 



most powerful of aliti-hysteiical medicines, and is also administered in the treatment of asthma. The 

 Sagapenum or Seraphic Gum is a strong-smelling substance, of an acrid and bitter taate, composed of a 

 gum, a resin, and a volatile oil ; it comes from Persia like the Asafoetida, and its properties are analogous, 

 though less powerful ; it probably belongs, like the latter, to a genus near Ferula. Galbanum has 

 been employed for centuries as a stimulant of the nervous and vascular systems ; it comes from Syria, but 

 its origin is unknown ; as is the case with the Laser [or Thapsia of the ancients], represented on some 

 Phoenician medals or coins, and of which the juice was exported from Cyrenaica to Greece. Gum 

 Ammoniac is procured from Dwema Amtnoniacum, a native of Persia and Armenia. This resin is at 

 first of a sweetish taste, then acrid and bitter ; its qualities are the same as those of the Asafoetida, but 

 it is less powerful in hysterical cases ; it is also employed to stimulate the functions of the abdominal 

 viscera and respiratory organs. [The Sumbal, a very foetid musky drug, used as an antispasmodic, is the 

 very large root of the Euryangium Sumbal, a native of Central Asia. — Ed.] 



CXIV. ARALIACEyE. 



(Abali^, Jussieu. — Aealiaoe^ et HEDEEACEiE, Bartlin^.) 



Corolla polypetalous, epigynous, usually isostemonous. Petals 5-10, valvate in 

 hud. Stamens inserted alternately with the petals, rarely more. Ovaet inferior, of 

 2-many 1-ovuled cells. Ovules pendulous, anatropous. Fetjit a herry. Embeto 

 albuminous. Radicle superior. 



Stem woody, rarely herbaceous, perennial, with cylindric, sometimes spiny 

 branches, often climbing or attaching itself to other plants by fibrillse, whence they 

 appear parasitic. Leaves alternate, very rarely opposite, simple, pinnate or digi- 

 tate ; petioles enlarged and thickened at the base ; stipules 0. Flowers 5 , or imper- 



Aralia edulis. 



