Araliaceae

Not to be confused with Araceae or Arecaceae.

Araliaceae
Temporal range: Eocene–present
Aralia elata
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Apiales
Family: Araliaceae
Juss.[1]
Subfamilies and genera
  • See text
Synonyms

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 commonly called the ginseng family.[2][3][4] The morphology of Araliaceae varies widely, but it is predominantly distinguishable based on its woody habit, tropical distribution, and the presence of simple umbels.[5]

There are numerous plants of economic importance. Some genera, such as Hedera (the ivies), Fatsia (Japanese aralias) and Heptapleurum (formerly Schefflera, the umbrella trees), are used as ornamental foliage plants. The family also includes Panax ginseng, the root of which is ginseng, used in traditional Chinese medicine.

  1. ^ Angiosperm Phylogeny Group (2009), "An update of the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group classification for the orders and families of flowering plants: APG III", Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 161 (2): 105–121, doi:10.1111/j.1095-8339.2009.00996.x, hdl:10654/18083
  2. ^ Xiang Q, Lowry PP (2007). "Araliaceae". In Wu ZY, Raven PH, Hong DY (eds.). Flora of China (PDF). Vol. 13. St. Louis, MO: Missouri Botanical Garden Press. p. 491. ISBN 9781930723597. Archived (PDF) from the original on 16 January 2024. Retrieved 25 December 2023.
  3. ^ Kim K, Nguyen VB, Dong J, Wang Y, Park JY, Lee SC, et al. (December 2017). "Evolution of the Araliaceae family inferred from complete chloroplast genomes and 45S nrDNAs of 10 Panax-related species". Scientific Reports. 7 (1): 4917. Bibcode:2017NatSR...7.4917K. doi:10.1038/s41598-017-05218-y. ISSN 2045-2322. PMC 5501832. PMID 28687778.
  4. ^ "Araliaceae". succulent-plant.com. Archived from the original on 14 May 2018. Retrieved 7 February 2018.
  5. ^ Elpel TJ (2013). Botany in a day : the patterns method of plant identification : an herbal field guide to plant families of North America. HOPS Press. ISBN 978-1-892784-35-3. OCLC 1037950883.