云南羽叶参 yun nan yu ye shen

Aralia delavayi J. Wen; A. shangiana J. Wen.

Shrubs, 2-8 m tall, probably andromonoecious. Leaves 1-pinnately compound; petiole 4-12 cm; petiolules to 4 cm, shorter on lateral leaflets; leaflets (3-)5, ovate to ovate-elliptic or broadly ovate, 4-9.5 × 2.5-6.2 cm, papery to membranous, glabrous, secondary veins 5-9 pairs, tertiary veins distinct on both surfaces, base broadly acute to rounded or subcordate, margin serrate, apex acute to acuminate. Inflorescence a terminal panicle of umbels, pilose or glabrous; primary axis to ca. 30 cm; secondary axes 10-20, each to ca. 8-15 cm, with a terminal umbel of bisexual flowers and 1 or 2 lateral umbels of male flowers; peduncle 1.5-4 cm (shorter in male umbels); pedicels 5-13 mm (shorter in male flowers), glabrous. Ovary 5-carpellate; styles united into a column, rarely divided to middle or base. Fruit globose, ca. 4 mm in diam.; styles persistent. Fl. May-Jun, fr. Jul-Aug.

● Montane evergreen forests, shrublands in valleys, roadsides, dry areas; 1200-2500 m. SW Sichuan, Yunnan.

Wen (Cathaya 13-14: 46-48. 2002) recognized Aralia shangiana as distinct from Pentapanax yunnanensis (for which the correct name is A. delavayi when treated in Aralia) on the basis of differences in several features, including leaflet shape and texture and inflorescence indument.