Eleutherococcus melanocarpus H. Léveillé, Bull. Acad. Int. Géogr. Bot. 24: 282. 1914; Aralia dumetorum Handel-Mazzetti.

Herbs, perennial, to 1.5 m tall, with elongate rhizome. Leaves 1- or 2-pinnately compound; petiole ca. 4 cm, glabrous; petiolules 8-20 mm (terminal one to 4.5 cm); leaflets 3-5 per pinna, broadly ovate, 2-4 × 2-4.5 cm, membranous, sparsely white setose on veins, secondary veins 5-7 pairs, conspicuous on both surfaces, tertiary veins inconspicuous, base cordate, margin biserrate, apex long acuminate. Inflorescence a sparsely branched terminal panicle of umbels; primary axis longer than 10 cm, always with a single axillary umbel at base; bracts lanceolate, ca. 5 mm; umbels 12-18-flowered; pedicels to 7 mm. Ovary 5-carpellate; styles 5, free. Fruit globose, ca. 7 mm in diam. Fl. Jul.

● Forest margins, scrub fields; ca. 2600 m. Guizhou (Weining), Sichuan (Hongxi, Maowen), NE Yunnan.