| Aralia | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Aralia elata | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Apiales |
| Family: | Araliaceae |
| Subfamily: | Aralioideae |
| Genus: | Aralia L. |
| Type species | |
| Aralia racemosa | |
| Synonyms | |
Aralia/əˈreɪliə/,[1] orspikenard, is agenus of thefamilyAraliaceae, consisting of 68 acceptedspecies ofdeciduous orevergreentrees,shrubs, andrhizomatousherbaceousperennials. The genus isnative to Asia and the Americas, with most species occurring in mountain woodlands.Aralia plants vary in size, with some herbaceous species only reaching 50 centimetres (20 in) tall, while some are trees growing to 20 metres (66 ft) tall.
Aralia plants have largebipinnate (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 inAralia spinosa. Theflowers are whitish or greenish occurring in terminalpanicles, and the spherical dark purple berry-likefruits are popular withbirds.
Aralia species are used as food plants by thelarvae of someLepidoptera species, including thecommon emerald (Hemithea aestivaria). There are many colours of aralia flowers. The main flower is whitish aralia.
Some species, notablyAralia cordata, are edible and are cultivated for human consumption.
The taxonomic circumscription of thegenusAralia has varied greatly. Species formerly included in wider views of the genus are now included in such separate genera asFatsia,Macropanax,Oreopanax,Panax,Polyscias,Pseudopanax,Schefflera, andTetrapanax.
The genusDimorphanthus, formerly considered distinct by some, is now included withinAralia as a section within that genus.
As of May 2021[update],Plants of the World Online accepted the following species:[2]
Onefossilendocarp of †Aralia pusilla has been described from amiddle Miocenestratum of the Fasterholt area nearSilkeborg in CentralJutland,Denmark.[3] Severalfossil fruits ofAralia rugosa and †Aralia tertiaria have been extracted from bore hole samples of theMiddle Miocene fresh water deposits inNowy Sacz Basin,West Carpathians,Poland.[4] SeveralAralia macrofossils have been recovered from the lateZanclean stage ofPliocene sites inPocapaglia,Italy.[5]
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| Other | |
