多枝柴胡 duo zhi chai hu

Plants 15–40 cm, perennial. Taproot slender, woody, annular leaf scars dense. Stem much branched throughout, base without fibrous remnant sheaths. Basal leaves caespitose, linear, 10–20 × 0.2–0.3 cm. Cauline leaves remote, linear, 13–15 × 0.15–0.3 cm. Apical leaves subulate, 3–5-nerved. Inflorescence much dichotomously branched, forming a large panicle; umbels numerous, 1.5–3 cm across; bracts 4–5, elliptic or obovate, 2–8 × 1–3 mm, unequal, 5–7-nerved; rays 3–6, 1–3 cm, unequal, very slender; bracteoles ca. 5, obovate, 3–4 × 2–3 mm, exceeding the flowers; umbellules 1.5–4 mm across, 7–15-flowered; pedicels ca. 1.5 mm. Petals yellow. Stylopodium low-conic, yellow. Fruit oblong, brown, 2–3 × 1.2–1.5 mm; ribs prominent; vittae 3 in each furrow, 4 on commissure. Fl. and fr. Jul–Sep.

Mountain slopes; ca. 2200 m. NE Yunnan (Huize).

The roots are used in traditional Chinese medicine. This poorly known taxon is recorded only from a few collections.