362 



DOMESTIC BOTANY. 



digitate ; or once or twice winged, or more divided ; the 

 footstalk slieatliing, sometimes with superior lobes like 

 stipules. Flowers generally in umbels, panicles, or racemes, 

 some unisexual. Petals and stamens varying from 2 to 10. 

 Fruit dry, consisting of several cells, eacli containing 1 seed, 

 or succulent, berry like. 



Nearly 200 species constitute this family, which are 

 widely distributed in both temperate and tropical regions, 

 and in many respects are allied to UmhellifercB, but dilFer in 

 being, with few exceptions, all of a shrubby or arborescent 

 habit. 



Ivy (Jffedera Helix). The common Ivy is a native of this 

 country, and is well known by its covering w^alls and climb- 

 ing over trees, to which it gives a picturesque appearance. 

 In winter its berries constitute a great part of the food of 

 birds. The specific name " IIeUx''rwsiS, given to the Ivy by 

 Linnseus, on account of it being a great harbour for snails 

 — Helix being the scientific name of a shell like that of the 

 snail. It is called the emblem of friendship, but its friend- 

 ship with trees is to gradually choke and destroy them. 



The ancients dedicated the Ivy to Bacchus, the God of 

 Wine ; and in the Book of Maccabees we read, that on the 

 feast of that god being kept, " the Jews were compelled to 

 go in procession to Bacchus, carrying Ivy." 



Ginseng {Panax ScJiinseng). A native of Tartary and 

 Northern China, grooving at one time abundantly in Man- 

 churia ; but its great use in China has caused it to become 

 scarce. It is a low herbaceous plant with forked roots, 

 which the Chinese imagine resembles the human form, and 

 is supposed to ward off all diseases. It is sHghtly bitter and 

 aromatic, but is not of much repute with European doctors. 

 P. quinquefolia, a native of North America, is sometimes 

 substituted for it. 



Eice-paper Plant [Aralia papyrifera). The plant pro- 

 ducing the beautiful substance called Rice-paper, was long 

 unknown to botanists, and on inquiry being made respecting 

 it, fanciful figures and descriptions were given of it by the 



