马肠子树 ma chang zi shu

Shrubs or small trees, 2-7 m tall, apparently andromonoecious. Leaves 1-pinnately compound; petiole 6-14 cm; petiolules 1-6 mm; leaflets (3-)5-7, ovate to ovate-elliptic, 6-15 × 3-8 cm, papery, both surfaces sparsely pubescent or abaxially with tufts of pubescence in axils of veins, secondary veins 6-9 pairs, indistinct or slightly impressed adaxially, base rounded or broadly acute to subcordate, margin serrate, apex acute. Inflorescence a terminal panicle of umbels, densely brownish pubescent; primary axis to 50 cm; secondary axes 30-40, each 3-11 cm, with a terminal umbel of bisexual flowers and several lateral umbels of apparently male flowers; peduncle 1.5-2.5 cm; pedicels 5-10 mm (shorter in male flowers), densely pubescent. Ovary 5-carpellate; styles free nearly to base or united to middle. Fruit globose, 4-4.5 mm in diam.; styles persistent, reflexed. Fl. Sep-Oct, fr. Oct-Nov.

● Forests in valleys, shaded thickets, along streams, rocky areas, often on limestone; 1200-3200 m. SW Sichuan, Xizang, Yunnan.

This species is used medicinally.

The two varieties recognized here were not retained by Wen (Cathaya 13-14: 52-55. 2002), who indicated that the characters on which Pentapanax tomentellus var. distinctus was based can be observed on the type specimen of Aralia tomentella.