Flora Medica

127. P. quinquefolium Linn. sp. pi. 1512. Woodv. med. hot.t. 58. Sot. Mag. 1. 1023. Bigelow med. hot. ii. t. 29. Jartouxin Phil, trans, xxviii. 237. DC. prodr. iv. 252. The northwesternparts of China, in thick forests; and in similar situationsin North America.Root of 1 or more fleshy oblong and somewhat fusiform fangs, of awhitish colour, transversely wrinkled, and terminating in fibres ; itsslender and marked with the scars of former shoots.upper portionStem smooth, round, green, often with a tinge of red, regularlydivided at top into 3 petioles, with a flower-stalk in their centre.Petioles round, smooth, swelling at base. Leaves 3, ternate, quinate,or septenate. Leaflets pedicellate, obovate, sharply serrate, acuminate,smooth on both sides, with scattered bristles on the veins above.Umbel simple, on a round, slender peduncle, longer than the petioles.Involucre of a multitude of short subulate bracts, interspersed amongthe flower-stalks, which are so short as to give the appearance of ahead rather than an umbel. Calyx with 5 small acute teeth. Petals5, oval, reflexed and deciduous. Stamens 5, with oblong anthers.Styles 2, reflexed, persistent ovary ;large, inferior, ovate heart-shaped,compressed. Berries kidney-shaped, retuse at both ends, compressed,of a bright scarlet colour, crowned with the calyx and styles, and containing2 semicircular seeds. Sometimes there are 3 styles and 3 seeds.The outermost florets ripen first, and their berries often obtain theirfull size before the central ones are expanded. The central floretsare frequently abortive. Root an agreeable bitter sweet, with somearomatic pungency. Has a prodigious reputation among the Chinese as astimulant and restorative under the nameof" Gin-seng," but by Europeansand Americans considered nothing more than a demulcent, approachingliquorice in its qualities. This however requires further investigation,for we cannot believe that all the Chinese say, believe, and practise isfabulous or imaginary. Is the Tartarian plant the same as the NorthAmerican ? Under what circumstances are they each collected ?ARALIA.Calyx very minute, entire or toothed. Petals 5, distinct andspreading at the apex. Stamens 5. Styles 5, spreading. Berry5-celled, generally rugged. Stones papery.128. A. nudicaulis Linn. sp. pi. 393. Raf. med. bot. i. t. 8.DC. prodr. iv. 257. North America.Stemless. Radical leaf solitary ; petiole trifid lobes ; pinnated withan odd one ; segments 5, ovate, acute, serrated. Scape shorter thanthe leaf, trifid at the apex. Umbels 3, many-flowered, without involucres.An alterative and tonic, affirmed by American writers to be asvaluable a medicine as sarsaparilla.129. A. hispida Michx.fl. am. sept.\. 185. is a sudorific.130. A. spinosa Linn, sp.pl. 392. ;a tincture of its wood usedin Virginia to allay the spasms in colic.59