Aralioideae is a subfamily of flowering plants contains around 50 recognized genera. These include the genus Panax, to which ginseng belongs. Other notable species are the Angelica-tree (devil's walking-stick, Aralia spinosa), the devil's club (Oplopanax horridus), or common ivy (Hedera helix).
Molecular evidence suggests that the Aralioideae diverged from their sister lineage, the relatively species-poor Hydrocotyloideae, during the Middle Eocene.
The Aralioideae consists of five major groups. Of these, strong evidence indicates that the three largest groups, the Asian Palmate group, the Aralia–Panax group, and the Greater Raukaua group, are monophyletic, while the other two, the Polycias–Pseudopanax group and the Osmoxylon group, require additional sampling in molecular phylogenies to demonstrate monophyly. Some genera in the subfamily may be paraphyletic (e.g. Aralia, Raukaua).
The subfamily contains the following genera: Apiopetalum Mackinlaya Pseudosciadium
Aralia Arthrophyllum Cuphocarpus Gastonia Meryta Munroidendron Panax Pentapanax Polyscias Pseudopanax Reynoldsia Sciadodendron Tetraplasandra
Astropanax Brassaiopsis Crepinella Dendropanax Didymopanax Eleutherococcus × Fatshedera Fatsia Frodinia Gamblea Hedera Heptapleurum Heteropanax Kalopanax Macropanax Metapanax Oplopanax Oreopanax Schefflera Sciodaphyllum Sinopanax Tetrapanax Trevesia Tupidanthus
Anakasia Astrotricha Cephalaralia Cheirodendron Cussonia Harmsiopanax Megalopanax Merrilliopanax Motherwellia Osmoxylon Raukaua Seemannaralia Woodburnia
References
Crescent Bloom Plants. Retrieved April 11, 2007.