The Botany of the Antarctic Voyage/Part I/Araliaceae
XIII. ARALIACEÆ, Juss.
1. Panax simplex, Forst.; arborea, inermis, foliis elliptico-lanceolatis subacutis obtusisve grosse serratis longe petiolatis cum petiolo articulatis (junioribus trifoliolatis), umbellis floralibus subracemosis fructiferis parce ramosis rarius simplicibus, umbellulis 6–10-floris. (Tab. XII.)—P. simplex, Forst. Prodr. n. 399. DeC. Prodr. vol. iv. p. 253. A. Rich. Fl. Nov. Zeland. p. 281. t. 31. A. Cunn. Prodr. Fl. Nov. Zel. in Ann. Nat. Hist. vol. ii. p. 213.
Hab. Lord Auckland's group; from the sea to alt. 500 feet, abundant.
A very scarce plant, and hitherto only found in the southern extremity of New Zealand and the Antarctic islands beyond it. As far as I am aware, it had been previously gathered by Forster alone. In this group it attains a height of 30 feet, amongst other trees near the sea. Its trunks are sometimes 2–3 feet in diameter, covered with a smooth brown bark; the wood is white and close-grained. Branches much scarred, and clothed with a pale bark, very brittle. The distinct joint at the apex of the petiole indicates the truly compound nature of the leaves; they are nowhere described as ternate; a character which all young trees of this species exhibit. The whole plant has a faint but rank smell, like that of Ivy, which the copious lurid green but shining coriaceous leaves much resemble, both in hue and texture. The involucral leaves are very small and subulate.
Plate XII. Fig. 1, unexpanded flower; fig. 2, flower more expanded; fig. 3, petal from the same; fig. 4 and fig. 5, immature stamens; fig. 6, germen after the petals have fallen away; fig. 7, immature fruit; fig. 8, vertical, and fig. 9, horizontal section of the same; fig. 10, ovule:—all magnified.
1. Aralia polaris, Hombr. et Jacq.; polygama, herbacea, inermis, tota setis mollibus laxis obsita, foliis (maximis) longe petiolatis orbiculari-reniformibus basi profimde cordatis marginibus multilobatis lobis 3–5-dentatis dentibus subacutis, umbellis copiosis compositis partialibus multiradiatis globosis, involucris foliaceis, floribus densis, fructibus depresso-sphæricis exsuccis suberosis atris nitidis.—A. polaris, Hombr. et Jacq. in Voy. au Pol Sud, Bot. Phaner. t. 2. sine descript.
Hab. Lord Auckland's group and Campbell's Island; in the woods and on banks, generally near the sea, but often attaining an altitude of 600–700 feet, covering large tracts of ground with its bright and shining green foliage.
Radix; rhizoma cylindraceum, elongatum, 2–3-pedale, ad terræ superficiem procumbens, transversim striatum seu annulatum, solidum, ochraceum, subtus fibras copiosas breves emittens. Tota planta setis mollibus patentibus simplicibus subcarnosis vestita. Caules herbacei, validi, 2–4-pedales, e collo ipso valde ramosi, sæpius prostrati vel adscendentes, teretes, striati, fistulosi, diametro 1–1½ unciam, pallide flavido-virides. Folia pleraque ad furcaturas ramorum, inferiora majora longius petiolata, horizontaliter explanata, 1–1½ ped. lata, crassa, carnosa, orbiculari-reniformia, flabellatim nervosa atque reticulatim venosa, utrinque, precipue subtus et ob nervos prominentes setosos rugosa, læte viridia, nitida. Petioli erecti, semiteretes, bipedales et ultra, basi membranaceo-vaginati; vaginæ semi-amplexicaules, superne (ut in plantis gramineis) in ligulam maximam membranaceam obovato-cuneatam expansæ; ligula superne truncata, bifida seu bipartita, laciniata, 2–3 unc. lata, pulcherrime radiatim et reticulatim venosa. Umbellæ terminales et axillares, compositæ, maximæ, diametro capitis humani, ter quaterque divisæ. Umbellæ partiales numerosæ, globosæ, multifloræ, diametro 1–2 unc. Involucra polyphylla: involucella oligophylla; ultima monophylla, gradatim minora, omnia longe petiolata, radiis umbellæ multoties longiora, folia caulina juniora simulantia, sed pluries minora, angustiora, sæpe cuneata, altiusque lobata; umbellulorum ultimorum sæpius ad squamas ciliato-fimbriatas redacta. Pedicelli florum breves, clavati, ⅓–½ unc. longi, sulcis tot quot ovarii exarati, florum masculorum graciliores. Flores copiosissimi, polygami, in capitulum globosum arcte congesti, pallide flavidi, cereacei, subtranslucentes, nitentes, disco purpureo. Calycis tubus cum ovario adnatus, 3–4-sulcatus, margine integerrimo. Petala 5, ante expansionem late ovata, obtusa, deltoideo-reniformia, subunguiculata, demum patentia, oblongo-obovata, carnosa, cellulosa, enervia, 1–1½ lin. longa. Fl. Masc. Stamina 5; filamenta brevia subulata, pauiulum incurva; antheræ majusculæ, didymæ puqiureæ: pollen elliptico-oblongum, utrinque obtusum, sub lente lineis 1–2 longitudinalibus opacis notatum, hyalinum, in cumulo stramineum. Stylopodia plana, depressa; styli nulli. Fl. Fert. Stamina ut in fl. masc., aut nulla. Stylopodia 3–4, subreniformia, elevata, sursum plana, luride purpurea, granulata, cavitatem in axin ovarii cingens. Styli 3–4, breves, subulati, lineares, subacuti, recurvi. Ovarium carnosum, 3–4-sulcatum, late turbinatum, 3–4-loculare, loculis circa axin cavum dispositis, 1-ovulatis; ovula ex apice loculi anguli interioris pendula, pyriformia, anatropa, funiculo brevissimo. Fructus subbaccatus, suberosus, aterrimus, depresso-globosus, recens 3 rarius 4-sulcatus, in caulibus emortuis fibrosis dealbatis anni præteriti persistens, disco vacuo superne concavo; epicarpium crustaceum; endocarpium corneum v. osseum; sarcocarpium suberosum. Loculi 3–4, valde compressi, axi contrarii. Semen parvum, late ovato-ellipticum, plano-compressum, versus axin obtuse angulatum, loculum totum implens. Testa membranacca, pallide fusca. Albumen copiosum, farinaceo-corneum, albidum. Embryo minutissimus, pyriformis; radicula supera, bilo proxima; cotyledones breves, divaricatæ, obtusæ.
One of the most handsome and singular of the vegetable productions in the group of islands it inhabits, which certainly contains a greater proportion of large and beautiful plants, relatively to the whole vegetation, than any country with which I am acquainted. Growing in large orbicular masses, on rocks and banks near the sea, or amongst the dense and gloomy vegetation of the woods, its copious bright green foliage and large umbels of waxy flowers, often nearly a foot in diameter, have a most striking appearance. The pretty black berries on the white and withered stalks of the former year's umbels form a curious contrast to the shining waxy appearance of the rest of the inflorescence. The whole plant has a heavy and rather disagreeable rank smell, common to many of its Nat. Order, but is nevertheless greedily eaten by goats, pigs and rabbits.
Beautiful as is the plate of Aralia polaris in the French South Polar Voyage above quoted, and faithfully as it represents the leaf and umbel, the insertion of both immediately upon the rooting stem, without the intervention of branches, and the absence of the great ligules, are quite unlike what is exhibited by my specimens. It is possible that the letter-press may account for this and some other apparent inaccuracies; but although the plates have been in our possession for nearly a twelvemonth, I cannot learn that any descriptive matter has hitherto appeared.—The above particulars of the plant, and the analysis, were drawn up from living specimens; and although the drawings, made at the same time from the recent plant, are not of sufficient novelty to justify their introduction amongst the plates of the present work, I have deemed it desirable to give them in the 'Icones Plantarum' (vol. viii. tab. 701. ined.).