Araliaceae

Aralia is the French-Canadian name for specimens of Aralia sent to Tournefort by M. Sarrazin. Trees, shrubs, climbers or occasionally herbs, maybe aromatic; stems often with a large pith, nodes often swollen. Leaves alternate, occasionally simple, but usually palmately or pinnately compound or decompound. Stipules are fused at the base of the petiole and sheath or clasp the stem. The ultimate branch of the inflorescence is an umbel; flowers more or less 5-merous. Ovary inferior, usually of 2 carpels; fruit usually fleshy. Several genera previously assigned to the Apiaceae are now in the Araliaceae and vice-versa. Also referred to as the Ginseng or Ivy family.