野胡萝卜 ye hu luo bo

Plants to 120 cm. Leaves oblong, 2–3-pinnate/pinnatisect; ultimate segments linear to lanceolate, 2–15 × 0.5–4 mm, glabrous to hispid especially on the veins and margins, acute, mucronate. Peduncles 10–55 cm, retrorsely hispid; bracts foliaceous, pinnate, rarely entire, lobes linear, 3–30 mm, margin scarious; rays 2–7.5 cm, unequal; bracteoles 5–7, linear, entire or 2–3-lobed, more or less scarious and ciliate, equaling or exceeding flowers. Petals white, sometimes yellow or pinkish. Fruit 3–4 × ca. 2 mm. Fl. May–Jul.

Mountain slopes, ruderal areas, also widely cultivated; 2000–3000 m. Anhui, Guizhou, Hubei, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Sichuan, Zhejiang [N Africa, SW Asia, Europe; cultivated and adventive worldwide in temperate regions].

The fruit used for medicine (“hu luo bo”) and oil.

Lower Taxa

• Daucus carota var. carota
• Daucus carota var. sativa Hoffmann