华山前胡 hua shan qian hu

Plants 40–90 cm, essentially glabrous. Basal leaves numerous, oblong-ovate, 2-pinnate or pinnatisect, 10–20 cm; pinnae petiolulate, 5–6 pairs, pinnules 1–2 pairs, ovate, 3-lobed or parted, lobules acute, apiculate. Stem leaves reduced upwards. Synflorescence copiously dichotomously branched; umbels 1–2.5 cm across; peduncles 4–10 cm, granular-roughened or hispidulous; bracts 3–4, linear-lanceolate, 1–3 mm; rays 3–5, 2–4 cm; bracteoles 2–5, linear, 1–2 mm; umbellules 3–8-flowered, pedicels 1–2 mm. Calyx teeth triangular, minute. Petals white, obovate. Ovary pulverous-hispid. Fruit obovate-oblong, 4–5 mm, granular-hispidulous; dorsal ribs filiform, prominent, lateral ribs narrowly winged, wings thin; vittae 1 in each furrow, 2 on commissure. Fl. Aug–Sep, fr. Oct.

Rock crevices or sandy places in mountain valleys; 400–1000 m. W Henan (Lingbao), SE Shaanxi (Hua Shan).

The root is used in Shaanxi as a regional substitute for the traditional Chinese medicine “fang feng” (see Saposhnikovia divaricata).