Achlys

Achlys triphylla

 
Achlys, also known as vanilla leaf or deerfoot is a plant that can be found in the forest. So far I've only seen it twice, both times in a redwood forest. It is a rare plant and does not grow all over the place like, say, redwood sorrel.

Vanilla leaf (Achlys triphylla) is so called for its supposedly vanilla smell of the dried leaves. Well, I got one leaf, dried it and smelled it. It did not smell like vanilla! Why is it called vanilla leaf? Fresh leaves do not smell either. I am not going to call it that. I am going to call it achlys or deerfoot.

Deerfoot (Achlys triphylla)

Anyway, achlys is easy to recognize by the shape of its leaves: they are big, separated into 3 distinct parts that sometimes touch each other so it looks like one whole leaf. Achlys blooms too, but at the time when this picture was taken it was not blooming so I cannot show you the flowers.

Achlys belongs to the barberry family (Berberidaceae).  As a forest plant, it likes shade. Fresh leaves can be rubbed on skin to act as a mosquito repellent.