2,Aralia (Tourn.) Le Ginsenge 
Perennial herbs with solitary erect leaves borne on the creeping 
rootstock. Flowers perfect or polygamous, in a compound umbel. Sepals 
5. Petals 5 imbricate, stamens 5. Ovary 5-chambered;styles 5. Drupe 
berry-like with usually 5 mtloets. 
1. Ae mudicaulis Le Wild Sarsaparilla. A low inconspicuous herb with 
a trailing woody often branched rootstock 5-6 mm. in diameter, the leaves 
solitary each year, commonky arising from short side branches, the petiole 
15-20 cme long, the blade ternate, then pinnate, each primary division bear- 
ing 3 or usually 5 leaflets, 6-9 cme long, 5-5 cm. broad, oval or obovate, 
thin, green, glabrous, abruptly accuminate, the middle pair sessile, the 
lower pair and terminal leaflet on stalks 4-5 mm. long, the margins finely 
toothed; flowers in globose axillary compound umbels borne on peduncles 
about equal to the petioles, the primary rays 2-4 cme long, the pedicels 
slender, about 1 em. long, all thinly hirtellovus, the pedicels especially 
so near the base of the ovary; calyx segnents reflexed, 2 mme long, the 
stamens erect, 265 mme long; fruits purplish black, flattened*globose, 
4e6 mme in diameter, strongly ribbed. 
In moist shaded woods at lower elevations. 
