Chaerophyllum gracillum Klotzsch; C. millefolium Klotzsch; Sphallerocarpus coniifolius (Wallich ex de Candolle) Koso-Poljansky; S. millefolius (Klotzsch) Koso-Poljansky; Vicatia millefolia (Klotzsch) C. B. Clarke; V. stewartii C. B. Clarke.

Plants 5–30 cm, essentially glabrous (except base of umbels sparsely strigose). Stem solitary, erect. Leaves ternate-2–3-pinnate; primary pinnae 5–6 pairs, very finely divided, both surfaces glabrous; ultimate segments linear or lanceolate, 1.5–3 × 0.8–3 mm, pinnatifid. Leaves reduced upwards. Umbels 2–4 cm across; bracts usually absent or 1–2, leaf-like; rays 6–12, un-equal, 4–15 mm in flower, elongating to 3 cm in fruiting umbellules (remains of short male umbellules conspicuous at base of umbel); bracteoles 3–6, linear, 3–5 mm; as long or longer than the umbellules. Petals white or purplish-red, ca. 1.5 × 1 mm, base shortly clawed. Fruit oblong-ovoid, 3.3–4 × 1–1.4 mm; ribs filiform; vittae (1–)2–4(–5) in each furrow, 2–4(–6) on commissure. Seed face deeply sulcate. Fl. May–Aug, fr. Jul–Sep.

Sparse alpine scrub, alpine meadows, grassy slopes, grassy stream banks; 3000–4700 m. Qinghai, W Sichuan, S Xizang, NW Yunnan [Afghanistan, Bhutan, India, Kashmir, Nepal, Pakistan, Sikkim].