The Araliaceae is commonly called the ginseng or aralia family, and includes between 50 and 70 genera and from 700 to 1450 species, depending on which source is consulted. Although primarily a tropical family, its members are distributed throughout much of the temperate world as well. Composed mainly of trees and shrubs, usually evergreen, its species are characterized typically by alternate, often large, pinnate- or palmate-compound leaves and smallish, radially symmetrical flowers in umbels, racemes, heads or spikes. The fruits are berries or drupes. The family is closely related to the Apiaceae (carrot family) and has been placed with them into order Apiales along with the pittosporums and half a dozen other families. The most important economic product of the family is ginseng but others are Chinese rice paper and various medicinal extracts. The ivies are also members of this family.