ABSTRACT
Objective: To compare the characteristics and microscopic characteristics of wild ginseng, wild ginseng under forest, unimplanted ginseng, and cultivated ginseng, and meantime to establish the retrieval table of ginseng in different growth modes. Methods: To observe the characteristics of ginseng in different growth modes on rhizomes, adventitious roots, bodies, grains, lateral roots, and fibrous roots, and to study the transverse microscopic characteristics of taproots and fibrous roots. Results: The most important traits of wild ginseng and wild ginseng under forest were column rhizomes, drooping taproots, wire lines, flexible branch beards, and pearl dots. Calcium oxalate crystals of the ginseng main roots and xylems of the fibrous roots showed the increasing trend with the growth of age, but starch granule decreased. So we could distinguish the different growth ages of ginseng. Conclusion: The rhizomes, adventitious roots, grains, main roots, and fibrous roots of wild ginseng, wild ginseng under forest, unimplanted ginseng, and cultivated ginseng have the significant differences.