''Aralia'' , or spikenard, is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

of the

family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...

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. The morphology of Araliaceae varies widely, but it is predominantly distinguisha ...

, consisting of 68 accepted

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

deciduous In the fields of horticulture and Botany, the term ''deciduous'' () means "falling off at maturity" and "tending to fall off", in reference to trees and shrubs that seasonally shed leaves, usually in the autumn; to the shedding of petals, aft ...

evergreen In botany, an evergreen is a plant which has foliage that remains green and functional through more than one growing season. This also pertains to plants that retain their foliage only in warm climates, and contrasts with deciduous plants, which ...

tree In botany, a tree is a perennial plant with an elongated stem, or trunk, usually supporting branches and leaves. In some usages, the definition of a tree may be narrower, including only woody plants with secondary growth, plants that are ...

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 ...

perennial A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also wide ...

s. The genus is

native Native may refer to: People * Jus soli, citizenship by right of birth * Indigenous peoples, peoples with a set of specific rights based on their historical ties to a particular territory ** Native Americans (disambiguation) In arts and entert ...

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

flower A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants (plants of the division Angiospermae). The biological function of a flower is to facilitate reproduction, usually by providing a mechani ...

s 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

fruit In botany, a fruit is the seed-bearing structure in flowering plants that is formed from the ovary after flowering. Fruits are the means by which flowering plants (also known as angiosperms) disseminate their seeds. Edible fruits in particu ...

s are popular with

bird Birds are a group of warm-blooded vertebrates constituting the class Aves (), characterised by feathers, toothless beaked jaws, the laying of hard-shelled eggs, a high metabolic rate, a four-chambered heart, and a strong yet lightweigh ...

s. ''Aralia'' species are used as food plants by the

larva A larva (; plural larvae ) is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle. The ...

e 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 The common emerald (''Hemithea aestivaria'') is a moth of the family Geometridae. The species is found throughout the Nearctic and Palearctic regions and the Near East. It is mostly commonly found in the southern half of the British Isles. It was ...

(''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

''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 ''Schefflera'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Araliaceae. With an estimated 600–900 species, the genus represents about half of its family. The plants are trees, shrubs or lianas, growing tall, with woody stems, the absence of ...

'', and ''

Tetrapanax ''Tetrapanax papyrifer'', the rice-paper plant (''通草—tong cao''), is an evergreen shrub in the family Araliaceae, the sole species in the genus ''Tetrapanax''. The specific epithet is frequently misspelled as "papyriferum", "papyriferus", ...

''. 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'' Hand.-Mazz. *'' Aralia armata'' (Wall. ex G.Don) Seem. *'' Aralia atropurpurea'' Franch. *''

Aralia bahiana ''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 ...

'' J.Wen *'' Aralia bicrenata'' Wooton & Standl. *'' Aralia bipinnata'' Blanco *'' Aralia cachemirica'' Decne. *'' Aralia caesia'' Hand.-Mazz. *''

Aralia californica ''Aralia californica'', known by the common name elk clover though not actually a clover, is a large herb in the family Araliaceae, the only member of the ginseng family native to California and southwestern Oregon. It is also called California a ...

'' S.Watson *'' Aralia castanopsiscola'' (Hayata) J.Wen *'' Aralia chinensis'' L. *''

Aralia continentalis ''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 ...

'' Kitag. *''

Aralia cordata ''Aralia cordata'' is an upright herbaceous perennial plant growing up to in height, native to Japan, Korea and eastern China. Its common names include spikenard, herbal aralia, ''udo'' (from ja, ウド), Japanese spikenard, and mountain aspar ...

'' Thunb. *'' Aralia dasyphylla'' Miq. *'' Aralia dasyphylloides'' (Hand.-Mazz.) J.Wen *'' Aralia debilis'' J.Wen *''

Aralia decaisneana ''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 ...

'' Hance *'' Aralia delavayi'' J.Wen *'' Aralia devendrae'' Pusalkar *'' Aralia duplex'' R.Chaves *'' Aralia echinocaulis'' Hand.-Mazz. *''

Aralia elata ''Aralia elata'', the Japanese angelica tree, Chinese angelica-tree, or Korean angelica-tree, is a woody plant A woody plant is a plant that produces wood as its structural tissue and thus has a hard stem. In cold climates, woody plants furthe ...

'' (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'' Franch. *'' Aralia ferox'' Miq. *'' Aralia finlaysoniana'' (Wall. ex G.Don) Seem. *'' Aralia foliolosa'' Seem. ex C.B.Clarke *'' Aralia frodiniana'' 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'' Harms *'' Aralia hiepiana'' J.Wen & Lowry *''

Aralia hispida ''Aralia hispida'', commonly known as the bristly sarsaparilla, is a member of 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 ...

'' Vent. *'' Aralia humilis'' Cav. *'' Aralia hypoglauca'' (C.J.Qi & T.R.Cao) J.Wen & Y.F.Deng *'' Aralia indonesica'' Doweld *'' Aralia kansuensis'' G.Hoo *'' Aralia kingdon-wardii'' J.Wen, Lowry & Esser *''

Aralia leschenaultii ''Aralia leschenaultii'' is a species of plant in the family Araliaceae. It is found in China, India, Myanmar, and Sri Lanka Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්‍රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, ...

'' (DC.) J.Wen *'' Aralia malabarica'' Bedd. *'' Aralia melanocarpa'' (H.Lév.) Lauener *'' Aralia merrillii'' C.B.Shang *'' Aralia mexicana'' (C.B.Shang & X.P.Li) Frodin *'' Aralia montana'' Blume *''

Aralia nudicaulis ''Aralia nudicaulis'' (commonly wild sarsaparilla,Dickinson, T.; Metsger, G.; Hull, J.; and Dickinson, R. (2004) The ROM Field Guide to Wildflowers of Ontario. Toronto:Royal Ontario Museum, p. 140. false sarsaparilla, shot bush, small spikenard, ...

'' L. *''

Aralia officinalis ''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 oc ...

'' Z.Z.Wang *''

Aralia parasitica ''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 ...

'' (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'' G.Hoo *'' Aralia scopulorum'' Brandegee *'' Aralia searelliana'' Dunn *'' Aralia soratensis'' Marchal *'' Aralia spinifolia'' Merr. *'' Aralia spinosa'' L. *'' Aralia stellata'' (King) J.Wen *'' Aralia stipulata'' Franch. *''

Aralia subcordata ''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 ...

'' (Wall. ex G.Don) J.Wen *'' Aralia thomsonii'' Seem. ex C.B.Clarke *'' Aralia tibetana'' G.Hoo *'' Aralia tomentella'' Franch. *'' Aralia undulata'' Hand.-Mazz. *'' Aralia urticifolia'' Blume ex Miq. *'' Aralia verticillata'' (Dunn) J.Wen *'' Aralia vietnamensis'' Ha *'' Aralia wangshanensis'' (W.C.Cheng) Y.F.Deng *'' Aralia warmingiana'' (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 ''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 ...

'' Franch.

Fossil record

One

fossil A fossil (from Classical Latin , ) is any preserved remains, impression, or trace of any once-living thing from a past geological age. Examples include bones, shells, exoskeletons, stone imprints of animals or microbes, objects preserved ...

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 Jutland ( da, Jylland ; german: Jütland ; ang, Ēota land ), known anciently as the Cimbric or Cimbrian Peninsula ( la, Cimbricus Chersonesus; da, den Kimbriske Halvø, links=no or ; german: Kimbrische Halbinsel, links=no), is a peninsula of ...

Denmark ) , song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast") , song_type = National and royal anthem , image_map = EU-Denmark.svg , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Danish Realm, Kingdom of Denmark ...

. Several

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 Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populous ...

. Several ''Aralia'' macrofossils have been recovered from the late

Zanclean The Zanclean is the lowest stage or earliest age on the geologic time scale of the Pliocene. It spans the time between 5.332 ± 0.005 Ma (million years ago) and 3.6 ± 0.005 Ma. It is preceded by the Messinian Age of the Miocene Epoch, and fol ...

stage of

Pliocene The Pliocene ( ; also Pleiocene) is the epoch in the geologic time scale that extends from 5.333 million to 2.58Pocapaglia Pocapaglia ( pms, Pocapaja) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Cuneo in the Italian region Piedmont, located about southeast of Turin and about northeast of Cuneo. As of 1-1-2017, it had a population of 3,311 and an area of .All de ...

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...

.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