1	Umbels uniradiate. Leaves acicular, occasionally few linear		Bupleurum subuniflorum
+	Umbels multiradiate. Leaves linear, lanceolate, ovel, oblong, ovate to almost orbicular		(2)
2 (1)	Upper leaves almost orbicular, perfoliate		(3)
+	Upper leaves linear to oval or ovate; not perfoliate		(4)
3 (2)	Leaves glaucous green. Rays 5-10		Bupleurum rotundifolium
+	Leaves yellowish green. Rays 10-20		Bupleurum croceum
4 (2)	Leaves broadly oval to ovate or only basal oval to ovate, upper gradually narrower		(5)
+	All leaves narrowly linear to oval		(6)
5 (4)	Lower and upper leaves oval to ovate. Rays 5-7		Bupleurum lanceolatum
+	Basal leaves petioled, oval to ovate; upper gradually narrower. Rays 2-5		Bupleurum gilesii
6 (4)	Middle and upper leaves with 13 or more veins		(7)
+	Middle and upper leaves with 9 or less veins		(13)
7 (6)	Plants with almost black flowers. Bractlets ovate, 5-7 veined, as long or longer than the flowering umbellet		Bupleurum longicaule
+	Plants with yellow or black flowers. Bractlets lanceolate to oval, 3-5 veined, as long or longer or shorter than the flowering umbellet		(8)
8 (7)	Bases of upper leaves completely amplexicaul, auriculata		(9)
+	Bases of upper leaves not or slightly amplexicaul, not auriculata		(11)
9 (8)	Apices or upper leaves long acuminate. Flowers yellow		(10)
+	Apices of upper leaves not acuminate. Flowers dark purple		Bupleurum constancei
10 (9)	Lower leaves linear; upper with inflated leaf bases		Bupleurum clarkeanum
+	Lower leaves linear to lanceolate; upper without inflated leaf bases		Bupleurum thomsonii
11 (8)	Bracts present. Rays 5-12. Upper leaves cordate		(12)
+	Bracts frequently lacking or 1. Rays 5-8. Upper leaves oblong, not cordate		Bupleurum swatianum
12 (11)	Bracts 1-3, Rays 8-12. Upper leaves oblong to broadly ovate, cordate. Bractlets shorter than the flowers		Bupleurum jucundum
+	Bracts 1-4, unequal. Rays 5-10. Upper leaves oval to ovate, amplexicaul. Bractlets as long or longer than the flowers		Bupleurum candollei
13 (6)	Plants decumbent. Stems many form the base		(14)
+	Plants erect, sometimes decumbent. Stem 1 or more from the base		(16)
14 (13)	Leaves narrowly linear to linear; bases slightly amplexicaul		Bupleurum gracillimum
+	Leaves linear to lanceolate or oval; bases broadly amplexicaul		(15)
15 (14)	Flowers black. Bractlets oval to ovate		Bupleurum atroviolaceum
+	Flowers yellow. Bractlets linear		Bupleurum aitchisonii*
16 (13)	Plants annual. Leaves oval, obtuse, punctate. Fruit furrows 1. vittate		Bupleurum tenue
+	Plants perennial. Leaves linear, lanceolate, falcate or oval. Fruit furrows 1-4-vittate		(17)
17 (16)	Leaves oval. Pedicels 2-3 times longer than the flowers and the fruits		Bupleurum kohistanicum
+	Leaves linear to lanceolate. Flowers and fruits subsessile or the pedicels as long as the flowers and the fruits		(18)
18 (17)	Cauline leaves linear, up to 2 cm long. Fruit furrows 1-vittate		Bupleurum stewartianum
+	Cauline leaves linear to falcate, more than 2 cm long.Fruit furrows 1-3-vittate		(19)
19 (18)	Flowering umbels numerous. Fruit furrows 1- vittate		(20)
+	Flowering umbels not numerous. Fruit furrows 2-4-vittate		(21)
20 (19)	Leaves linear to lanceolate. Stylopodium light brown. Bractlets as long or longer than the flowering umbellet		Bupleurum tenue
+	Leaves linear, up to 10 cm long. Stylopodium dark coloured. Bracts shorter than the flowering umbellet		Bupleurum nigrescens
21 (19)	Leaves linear, 1-4 mm broad		(22)
+	Leaves linear to falcate, 3-10 mm broad		(24)
22 (21)	Lower leaves narrowly linear, involute, forming a groove. Upper part of the plant almost leafless. Rays 3-7		Bupleurum canaliculatum
+	Lower leaves linear, not involute. Upper part of the plant with leaves		(23)
23 (22)	Leaves stiff, coriaceous, 1-3 mm broad. Rays 3-9. Bractlets linear to lanceolate		Bupleurum exaltatum
+	Leaves not stiff or coriaceous, 2-4 mm broad. Rays 2-6. Bractlets oblong to lanceolate		Bupleurum linearifolium
24 (21)	Leaves amplexicaul; upper part of the leaves long tapering		(25)
+	Leaves hardly amplexicaul; upper part of the leaves suddenly acute		Bupleurum hoffmeisteri
25 (24)	Leaves linear to falcate		Bupleurum falcatum
+	Leaves linear; margins cartilaginous; base amplexicaul, narrow		Bupleurum marginatum