CHAP. LIX. 



ARALIA CE^S. HE DERA. 



999 



Identification. Lin. S] 

 Synonymes. Aralie. 

 Engravings. Schmidt Arb 



Panicle much 



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

 native country, to travellers ; but, according to others, a name of 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. 



Sfe 1. A. spino^sa L. The spiny Aralia, or Angelica Tree. 



p. 392. ; Don's Mill., 3. p. 389. ; Lodd. Cat, ed. 1836. 

 and Ger. ; Spikenard, AT. Amer. 



t. 102. and t. 103.; Wats. Dend. Brit, 1 116. ; and owx fig. 754. 



Spec. Char.yfyc. Stem arboreous and prickly. Leaves doubly and trebly 

 pinnate. Leaflets ovate, acuminated, and deeply serrated, 

 branched, beset with 

 velvety stellate down. 

 Umbels numerous. 

 Involucre small, of 

 few leaves. Petals 

 white and reflexed. 

 Styles 5, divaricate, 

 arched. Fruit 5-rib- 

 bed. {Don's Mill., iii. 

 p. 389.) A tree, 

 growing to the height 

 of 10 ft. or 12 ft., with 

 a single erect stem; 

 a native of Carolina 

 and Virginia, in low, 

 fertile, moist woods. 



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 are some other suffruticose 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 species, 

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

 not been introduced. 



Genus II. 



i 



i/E'DERA Swartz. The Ivy. Lin.Syst. Pent-Decandria, and Pent- 



Decagynia. 



D. Don Prod. Nep., p. 186. ; Dec. Prod., 4. p. 261. 

 p. 871. ; i7<*dera, and Aralia sp. Lin. 



Identification. Swartz Fl. Ind. Oca, p. 581. 



Don's Mill., 3. p. 391. 

 Synonymes. Aralia, sect. Gymnopterum Blum. Bijdr., p. 871. ; mdera, ar 



Fr. ; Ephen, Ger. ' ' 



Derivation. Various etymologies have been proposed for the word Htdera ; but the most probable 



supposition 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. 



