''Aralia'' , or spikenard, is a
genus of the
family Araliaceae, consisting of 68 accepted
species of
deciduous or
evergreen trees,
shrub
A shrub (often also called a bush) is a small-to-medium-sized perennial woody plant. Unlike herbaceous plants, shrubs have persistent woody stems above the ground. Shrubs can be either deciduous or evergreen. They are distinguished from trees ...
s, and
rhizomatous herbaceous
Herbaceous plants are vascular plants that have no persistent woody stems above ground. This broad category of plants includes many perennials, and nearly all annuals and biennials.
Definitions of "herb" and "herbaceous"
The fourth edition of t ...
perennials. The genus is
native to Asia and the Americas, with most species occurring in mountain woodlands. ''Aralia'' plants vary in size, with some herbaceous species only reaching tall, while some are trees growing to tall.
''Aralia'' plants have large
bipinnate (doubly compound) leaves clustered at the ends of their stems or branches; in some species the leaves are covered with bristles. The stems of some woody species are quite prickly, as in ''
Aralia spinosa''. The
flowers are whitish or greenish occurring in terminal
panicle
A panicle is a much-branched inflorescence. (softcover ). Some authors distinguish it from a compound spike inflorescence, by requiring that the flowers (and fruit) be pedicellate (having a single stem per flower). The branches of a panicle are of ...
s, and the spherical dark purple berry-like
fruits are popular with
birds.
''Aralia'' species are used as food plants by the
larvae of some
Lepidoptera
Lepidoptera ( ) is an order (biology), order of insects that includes butterfly, butterflies and moths (both are called lepidopterans). About 180,000 species of the Lepidoptera are described, in 126 Family (biology), families and 46 Taxonomic r ...
species, including the
common emerald (''Hemithea aestivaria''). There are many colours of aralia flowers. The main flower is whitish aralia.
Some species, notably ''Aralia cordata'', are edible and are cultivated for human consumption.
Taxonomy
The taxonomic circumscription of the
genus ''Aralia'' has varied greatly. Species formerly included in wider views of the genus are now included in such separate genera as ''
Fatsia'', ''
Macropanax
''Macropanax'' is a genus of flowering plants of the family Araliaceae, comprising 20 species. They are distributed from Central China to Sikkim, Nepal and Bhutan and to western Malaysia
Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The ...
'', ''
Oreopanax
''Oreopanax'' is a genus of shrubs and trees in the family Araliaceae, comprising circa 85 species native to the Americas.
Distribution
''Oreopanax'' species' range extends from Mexico and the Antilles to Argentina and Brazil, with most species ...
'', ''
Panax'', ''
Polyscias'', ''
Pseudopanax'', ''
Schefflera'', and ''
Tetrapanax''.
The genus ''Dimorphanthus'', formerly considered distinct by some, is now included within ''Aralia'' as a section within that genus.
Species
,
Plants of the World Online
Plants of the World Online (POWO) is an online database published by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. It was launched in March 2017 with the ultimate aim being "to enable users to access information on all the world's known seed-bearing plants by ...
accepts the following species:
*''
Aralia apioides
''Aralia'' , or spikenard, is a genus of the family Araliaceae, consisting of 68 accepted species of deciduous or evergreen trees, shrubs, and rhizomatous herbaceous perennials. The genus is native to Asia and the Americas, with most species occ ...
''
Hand.-Mazz.
*''
Aralia armata''
(Wall. ex G.Don) Seem.
*''
Aralia atropurpurea
''Aralia'' , or spikenard, is a genus of the family (biology), family Araliaceae, consisting of 68 accepted species of deciduous or evergreen trees, shrubs, and rhizome, rhizomatous herbaceous plant, herbaceous perennial plant, perennials. The ge ...
''
Franch.
*''
Aralia bahiana''
J.Wen
*''
Aralia bicrenata''
Wooton & Standl.
*''
Aralia bipinnata''
Blanco
*''
Aralia cachemirica
''Aralia'' , or spikenard, is a genus of the family (biology), family Araliaceae, consisting of 68 accepted species of deciduous or evergreen trees, shrubs, and rhizome, rhizomatous herbaceous plant, herbaceous perennial plant, perennials. The ge ...
''
Decne.
*''
Aralia caesia
''Aralia'' , or spikenard, is a genus of the family Araliaceae, consisting of 68 accepted species of deciduous or evergreen trees, shrubs, and rhizomatous herbaceous perennials. The genus is native to Asia and the Americas, with most species occ ...
''
Hand.-Mazz.
*''
Aralia californica''
S.Watson
*''
Aralia castanopsiscola''
(Hayata) J.Wen
*''
Aralia chinensis''
L.
*''
Aralia continentalis''
Kitag.
*''
Aralia cordata''
Thunb.
*''
Aralia dasyphylla
''Aralia dasyphylla'' is a species in the plant genus ''Aralia'', family Araliaceae. Its native range is western Malesia (Java, Peninsular Malaysia and Sumatra). Some sources include ''Aralia dasyphylloides
''Aralia dasyphylloides'' is a speci ...
''
Miq.
*''
Aralia dasyphylloides
''Aralia dasyphylloides'' is a species of flowering plant in the family Araliaceae, native to south China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a ...
''
(Hand.-Mazz.) J.Wen
*''
Aralia debilis
''Aralia elegans'' is a species of plant in the family Araliaceae. It is endemic to China.
References
*
''Aralia elegans''at The Plant List
The Plant List was a list of botanical names of species of plants created by the Royal Botanic Gar ...
''
J.Wen
*''
Aralia decaisneana''
Hance
*''
Aralia delavayi
''Aralia'' , or spikenard, is a genus of the family Araliaceae, consisting of 68 accepted species of deciduous or evergreen trees, shrubs, and rhizomatous herbaceous perennials. The genus is native to Asia and the Americas, with most sp ...
''
J.Wen
*''
Aralia devendrae''
Pusalkar
*''
Aralia duplex''
R.Chaves
*''
Aralia echinocaulis
''Aralia'' , or spikenard, is a genus of the family Araliaceae, consisting of 68 accepted species of deciduous or evergreen trees, shrubs, and rhizomatous herbaceous perennials. The genus is native to Asia and the Americas, with most sp ...
''
Hand.-Mazz.
*''
Aralia elata''
(Miq.) Seem.
*''
Aralia excelsa
''Aralia excelsa'' is a species of flowering plant in the family Araliaceae. It is native to Mexico, Central America, northern South America and parts of the Caribbean
The Caribbean (, ) ( es, El Caribe; french: la Caraïbe; ht, Karayib; n ...
''
(Griseb.) J.Wen
*''
Aralia fargesii
''Aralia'' , or spikenard, is a genus of the family Araliaceae, consisting of 68 accepted species of deciduous or evergreen trees, shrubs, and rhizomatous herbaceous perennials. The genus is native to Asia and the Americas, with most species occ ...
''
Franch.
*''
Aralia ferox
''Aralia'' , or spikenard, is a genus of the family Araliaceae, consisting of 68 accepted species of deciduous or evergreen trees, shrubs, and rhizomatous herbaceous perennials. The genus is native to Asia and the Americas, with most sp ...
''
Miq.
*''
Aralia finlaysoniana
''Aralia'' , or spikenard, is a genus of the family Araliaceae, consisting of 68 accepted species of deciduous or evergreen trees, shrubs, and rhizomatous herbaceous perennials. The genus is native to Asia and the Americas, with most species occ ...
''
(Wall. ex G.Don) Seem.
*''
Aralia foliolosa
''Aralia'' , or spikenard, is a genus of the family Araliaceae, consisting of 68 accepted species of deciduous or evergreen trees, shrubs, and rhizomatous herbaceous perennials. The genus is native to Asia and the Americas, with most sp ...
''
Seem. ex C.B.Clarke
*''
Aralia frodiniana
''Aralia frodiniana'' is a plant species endemic to the Island of Sulawesi in Indonesia.
It is a shrub with prickles on the stems. Leaves are bipinnate with hair and prickles on the petioles. Leaflets are ovate to elliptical, up to 8 cm ...
''
J.Wen
*''
Aralia gigantea''
J.Wen
*''
Aralia gintungensis''
C.Y.Wu ex K.M.Feng
*''
Aralia glabra''
Matsum.
*''
Aralia glabrifoliolata''
(C.B.Shang) J.Wen
*''
Aralia henryi
''Aralia'' , or spikenard, is a genus of the family Araliaceae, consisting of 68 accepted species of deciduous or evergreen trees, shrubs, and rhizomatous herbaceous perennials. The genus is native to Asia and the Americas, with most sp ...
''
Harms
*''
Aralia hiepiana
''Aralia'' , or spikenard, is a genus of the family Araliaceae, consisting of 68 accepted species of deciduous or evergreen trees, shrubs, and rhizomatous herbaceous perennials. The genus is native to Asia and the Americas, with most species occ ...
''
J.Wen & Lowry
*''
Aralia hispida''
Vent.
*''
Aralia humilis''
Cav.
*''
Aralia hypoglauca
''Aralia hypoglauca'' is a species of flowering plant in the family Araliaceae
The Araliaceae are a family of flowering plants composed of about 43 genera and around 1500 species consisting of primarily woody plants and some herbaceous plants ...
''
(C.J.Qi & T.R.Cao) J.Wen & Y.F.Deng
*''
Aralia indonesica
''Aralia'' , or spikenard, is a genus of the family Araliaceae, consisting of 68 accepted species of deciduous or evergreen trees, shrubs, and rhizomatous herbaceous perennials. The genus is native to Asia and the Americas, with most species occ ...
''
Doweld
*''
Aralia kansuensis
''Aralia'' , or spikenard, is a genus of the family Araliaceae, consisting of 68 accepted species of deciduous or evergreen trees, shrubs, and rhizomatous herbaceous perennials. The genus is native to Asia and the Americas, with most species occ ...
''
G.Hoo
*''
Aralia kingdon-wardii''
J.Wen, Lowry & Esser
*''
Aralia leschenaultii''
(DC.) J.Wen
*''
Aralia malabarica''
Bedd.
*''
Aralia melanocarpa''
(H.Lév.) Lauener
*''
Aralia merrillii
''Aralia'' , or spikenard, is a genus of the family Araliaceae, consisting of 68 accepted species of deciduous or evergreen trees, shrubs, and rhizomatous herbaceous perennials. The genus is native to Asia and the Americas, with most species occ ...
''
C.B.Shang
*''
Aralia mexicana
''Aralia'' , or spikenard, is a genus of the family (biology), family Araliaceae, consisting of 68 accepted species of deciduous or evergreen trees, shrubs, and rhizome, rhizomatous herbaceous plant, herbaceous perennial plant, perennials. The ge ...
''
(C.B.Shang & X.P.Li) Frodin
*''
Aralia montana
''Aralia'' , or spikenard, is a genus of the family Araliaceae, consisting of 68 accepted species of deciduous or evergreen trees, shrubs, and rhizomatous herbaceous perennials. The genus is native to Asia and the Americas, with most sp ...
''
Blume
*''
Aralia nudicaulis''
L.
*''
Aralia officinalis''
Z.Z.Wang
*''
Aralia parasitica''
(D.Don) Buch.-Ham. ex Otto
*''
Aralia plumosa''
H.L.Li
*''
Aralia racemosa
''Aralia racemosa'', with common names American spikenard, small spikenard, Indian root, spice berry, spignet, life-of-man, petty morel, is an ornamental plant in the family Araliaceae native to the United States and Canada. It is a herbaceous pl ...
''
L.
*''
Aralia regeliana''
Marchal
*''
Aralia rex
''Aralia rex'' is a species of flowering plant in the family Araliaceae. It has also been treated as ''Megalopanax rex'', the only species in the genus ''Megalopanax''. It is endemic to Cuba
Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es ...
''
(Ekman) J.Wen
*''
Aralia scaberula
''Aralia'' , or spikenard, is a genus of the family Araliaceae, consisting of 68 accepted species of deciduous or evergreen trees, shrubs, and rhizomatous herbaceous perennials. The genus is native to Asia and the Americas, with most sp ...
''
G.Hoo
*''
Aralia scopulorum
''Aralia'' , or spikenard, is a genus of the family Araliaceae, consisting of 68 accepted species of deciduous or evergreen trees, shrubs, and rhizomatous herbaceous perennials. The genus is native to Asia and the Americas, with most species occ ...
''
Brandegee
*''
Aralia searelliana''
Dunn
*''
Aralia soratensis''
Marchal
*''
Aralia spinifolia
''Aralia'' , or spikenard, is a genus of the family (biology), family Araliaceae, consisting of 68 accepted species of deciduous or evergreen trees, shrubs, and rhizome, rhizomatous herbaceous plant, herbaceous perennial plant, perennials. The ge ...
''
Merr.
*''
Aralia spinosa''
L.
*''
Aralia stellata
''Aralia'' , or spikenard, is a genus of the family (biology), family Araliaceae, consisting of 68 accepted species of deciduous or evergreen trees, shrubs, and rhizome, rhizomatous herbaceous plant, herbaceous perennial plant, perennials. The ge ...
''
(King) J.Wen
*''
Aralia stipulata
''Aralia stipulata'' is a plant species native to China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead ...
''
Franch.
*''
Aralia subcordata
''Aralia'' , or spikenard, is a genus of the family Araliaceae, consisting of 68 accepted species of deciduous or evergreen trees, shrubs, and rhizomatous herbaceous perennials. The genus is native to Asia and the Americas, with most sp ...
''
(Wall. ex G.Don) J.Wen
*''
Aralia thomsonii
''Aralia'' , or spikenard, is a genus of the family Araliaceae, consisting of 68 accepted species of deciduous or evergreen trees, shrubs, and rhizomatous herbaceous perennials. The genus is native to Asia and the Americas, with most sp ...
''
Seem. ex C.B.Clarke
*''
Aralia tibetana
''Aralia tibetana'' is a species of plant in the family Araliaceae. It is endemic to Tibet
Tibet (; ''Böd''; ) is a region in East Asia, covering much of the Tibetan Plateau and spanning about . It is the traditional homeland of the T ...
''
G.Hoo
*''
Aralia tomentella
''Aralia'' , or spikenard, is a genus of the family Araliaceae, consisting of 68 accepted species of deciduous or evergreen trees, shrubs, and rhizomatous herbaceous perennials. The genus is native to Asia and the Americas, with most species occ ...
''
Franch.
*''
Aralia undulata
''Aralia'' , or spikenard, is a genus of the family Araliaceae, consisting of 68 accepted species of deciduous or evergreen trees, shrubs, and rhizomatous herbaceous perennials. The genus is native to Asia and the Americas, with most sp ...
''
Hand.-Mazz.
*''
Aralia urticifolia''
Blume ex Miq.
*''
Aralia verticillata
''Aralia'' , or spikenard, is a genus of the family (biology), family Araliaceae, consisting of 68 accepted species of deciduous or evergreen trees, shrubs, and rhizome, rhizomatous herbaceous plant, herbaceous perennial plant, perennials. The ge ...
''
(Dunn) J.Wen
*''
Aralia vietnamensis
''Aralia'' , or spikenard, is a genus of the family Araliaceae, consisting of 68 accepted species of deciduous or evergreen trees, shrubs, and rhizomatous herbaceous perennials. The genus is native to Asia and the Americas, with most species occ ...
''
Ha
*''
Aralia wangshanensis''
(W.C.Cheng) Y.F.Deng
*''
Aralia warmingiana
''Aralia'' , or spikenard, is a genus of the family (biology), family Araliaceae, consisting of 68 accepted species of deciduous or evergreen trees, shrubs, and rhizome, rhizomatous herbaceous plant, herbaceous perennial plant, perennials. The ge ...
''
(Marchal) J.Wen
*''
Aralia wilsonii
''Aralia'' , or spikenard, is a genus of the family Araliaceae, consisting of 68 accepted species of deciduous or evergreen trees, shrubs, and rhizomatous herbaceous perennials. The genus is native to Asia and the Americas, with most species occu ...
''
Harms
*''
Aralia yunnanensis''
Franch.
Fossil record
One
fossil endocarp of †''Aralia pusilla'' has been described from a
middle Miocene
The Middle Miocene is a sub-epoch of the Miocene Epoch made up of two stages: the Langhian and Serravallian stages. The Middle Miocene is preceded by the Early Miocene.
The sub-epoch lasted from 15.97 ± 0.05 Ma to 11.608 ± 0.005 Ma (million y ...
stratum
In geology and related fields, a stratum ( : strata) is a layer of rock or sediment characterized by certain lithologic properties or attributes that distinguish it from adjacent layers from which it is separated by visible surfaces known as ei ...
of the Fasterholt area near
Silkeborg in Central
Jutland,
Denmark. Several
fossil fruits of ''Aralia rugosa'' and †''Aralia tertiaria'' have been extracted from bore hole samples of the
Middle Miocene
The Middle Miocene is a sub-epoch of the Miocene Epoch made up of two stages: the Langhian and Serravallian stages. The Middle Miocene is preceded by the Early Miocene.
The sub-epoch lasted from 15.97 ± 0.05 Ma to 11.608 ± 0.005 Ma (million y ...
fresh water deposits in
Nowy Sacz Basin,
West Carpathians,
Poland. Several ''Aralia'' macrofossils have been recovered from the late
Zanclean stage of
Pliocene sites in
Pocapaglia,
Italy.
[Messian to Zanclean vegetation and climate of Northern and Central Italy by Adele Bertini & Edoardo Martinetto, Bollettino della Societa Paleontologica Italiana, 47 (2), 2008, 105-121. Modena, 11 July 2008.]
Notes
References
*Frodin, D. G. and R. Govaerts. 2003. World Checklist and Bibliography of Araliaceae. Kew, UK: The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
*Wen, J. 2004. Systematics and biogeography of ''Aralia'' L. sect. ''Dimorphanthus'' (Miq.) Miq. (Araliaceae). ''Cathaya'' 15-16: 1–187.
External links
''Aralia''
{{Taxonbar, from=Q132636
Apiales genera
Flora of North America
Flora of Asia