Ginseng, a genus of the dioecia order, belonging to the polygamia clas of plants. There are two species, the quinquefolium and trifolium. Both these are natives of North America. The former is generally believed to be the same with the Tartarian ginseng; the figures and descriptions of that plant which have been sent to Europe by the missionaries, agreeing perfectly with the American Plant. This hath a jointed, fleshy, and taper root, as large as a man's finger, frequently divided into two smaller fibres downwards. The stalk rises near a foot and an half high, and is naked at the top, where it generally divides into three smaller foot-stalks, each sustaining a leaf composed of five spear-shaped lobes, sawed on their edges: they are of a pale green, and a little hairy. The flowers grow on a slender foot-stalk, just at the division of the foot-stalks which sustain the leaves, and are formed into a small umbel at the top; they are of an herbaceous yellow colour, composed of small yellow petals, which are recurved. These appear the beginning of June; and are succeeded by compressed, heart-shaped berries, which are first green, but afterwards turn red; inclosing two hard, compressed, heart-shaped seeds, which ripen in the beginning of August. The second fort grows naturally in the same countries: but Mr Miller never saw more than one plant, which was sent to him from Maryland, and did not live beyond the first year; being planted in a dry soil, in a very dry season. The stalk was single, and did not rise more than five inches in height, dividing into three foot-stalks, each sustaining a trifoliate leaf, whose lobes were longer, narrower, and deeper indented on their edges, than the former. The flower-stalk rose from the divisions of the foot-stalk of the leaves; but before the flowers opened, the plant decayed.

Properties. The root of this plant is used in medicine. It is two or three inches long, taper, about the thickness of the little finger, often forked at the bottom, which gives it a distant resemblance of a man, whence it is called ginseng; it is elegantly striated with circular wrinkles; it is of a brownish yellow colour on the outside, and whitish or of a pale yellow within; on the top are commonly one or more little knots, which are the remains of the stalks of the preceding years, and from the number of which the age of the root is judged of. Those roots which are brought from China are somewhat paler than those from America, but in no other respect is any difference found.

The Chinese esteem the ginseng root as a general restorative and corroborant; to the taste it is mucilaginous, and sweet like liquorice; yet accompanied with a degree of bitterness and a slight aromatic warmth, with little or no smell; the sweet matter of these roots is preserved in the watery as well as in the spirituous extract, and so is their aroma; the spirituous extract is a pleasant warm bitterish sweet.

A dram of the ginseng root may be sliced and boiled in a quarter of a pint of water to about two ounces; then a little sugar being added, it may be drank as soon as it is cool enough; the dose must be repeated morning and evening; but the second dose may be prepared from the same portion of root which was used at first, for it may always be twice boiled. The plant has been introduced into the British gardens, and will thrive in those places where it hath a light soil and shady situation, and will produce flowers and seeds; but the latter, though in appearance ripe and perfect, will not produce any new plants, as Mr Miller says he has repeatedly made the experiment, and waited for them three years without disturbing the ground.