Devil's Walking stick : Aralia spinosa 


Kingdom : Plant
   Phylum : Magnoliophyta
          Class : Magnoliopsida
               Order : Apiales
                    Family : Araliaceae
                         Genus : Aralia
                              Species : spinosa L.

Common name : Devil’s walking stick, Hercules club

Description:

Shrub or small tree up to 8 m tall with prickly to spiny leaves and stems. Stem unbranched or a few short branches, leaves very large, twice pinnately compound, a meter or more long, leaflets ovate 13 cm long, 7 cm wide, glabrous, toothed, with short petioles, rachis and petioles with spines, base of petiole enlarged.
Leaves and fruit of Aralia, Photo by David Byres Leaf scar almost encircles the stem. A row of prominent prickles runs along the leaf scar.

Inflorescence a terminal panicle, large, main branches up to 6 dm long. Flowers numerous, small, petals greenish-white.

Fruit juicy, black globose drupes, 4-6 mm in diameter.



Habitat:

Low hammock, moist thickets, along streams, wet ditches and rich woods.

Distribution:

Eastern North America from New York and Pennsylvania south to Florida and west to southwestern Iowa and western Texas. 		Stem, Photo by David Byres
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