Aralia

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Aralia
Aralia elata
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Apiales Family: Araliaceae Subfamily: Aralioideae Genus: Aralia L.
Species
Aralia apioides Aralia armata Aralia atropurpurea Aralia bicrenata Aralia bipinnata Aralia cachemirica Aralia caesia Aralia californica - California Aralia Aralia castanopsiscola Aralia chapaensis Aralia chinensis - Chinese angelica tree Aralia continentalis Aralia cordata - Japanese Spikenard Aralia dasyphylla Aralia dasyphylloides Aralia debilis Aralia decaisneana Aralia delavayi Aralia echinocaulis Aralia elata - Japanese Angelica-tree Aralia fargesii Aralia ferox Aralia finlaysoniana Aralia foliolosa Aralia fragrans Aralia frodiniana Aralia gigantea Aralia gintungensis Aralia glabra Aralia glabrifoliolata Aralia henryi Aralia hispida Aralia houheensis Aralia humilis Aralia kansuensis Aralia kingdon-wardii Aralia laevis Aralia malabarica Aralia melanocarpa Aralia merrillii Aralia mexicana Aralia montana Aralia nguyen-taoi Aralia nudicaulis Aralia parasitica Aralia plumosa Aralia racemosa - American Spikenard Aralia regeliana Aralia rex Aralia ryukyuensis Aralia scopulorum Aralia searelliana Aralia soratensis Aralia spinifolia Aralia spinosa - Hercules' Club Aralia stellata Aralia stipulata Aralia subcordata Aralia thomsonii Aralia tibetana Aralia tomentella Aralia undulata Aralia urticifolia Aralia verticillata Aralia vietnamensis Aralia warmingiana Aralia wilsonii Aralia yunnanensis
Synonyms
Acanthophora Merr. Coemansia Marchal Coudenbergia Marchal Cwangayana Rauschert Dimorphanthus Miq. Neoacanthophora Bennet Parapentapanax Hutch. Pentapanax Seem. (probably)

Aralia (Spikenard) is a genus of the plant family Araliaceae, consisting of 68 accepted species of deciduous and evergreen trees and shrubs, and some rhizomatous herbaceous perennials. The genus is native to Asia and the Americas, with most species occurring in mountain woodlands. The species vary in size, with some herbaceous species only reaching 50 cm tall, while some are trees growing to 20 m tall.

Aralia species have large bipinnate leaves clustered at the ends of branches, sometimes covered with bristles. The flowers are whitish or greenish occurring in terminal panicles, and the spherical dark purple berry-like fruit are popular with birds.

Aralia species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Common Emerald.

[edit] Taxonomic note

The circumscription of Aralia has varied greatly. Species formerly included in a wider circumscription of the genus are now included in Fatsia, Macropanax, Oreopanax, Panax, Polyscias, Pseudopanax, Schefflera, and Tetrapanax, among others.

The genus Dimorphanthus Miq. is now considered a synonym of Aralia but is recognized as a section within that genus.

[edit] References and external links

• 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.
• Aralia
• Sorting Aralia names