丽江柴胡 li jiang chai hu

Bupleurum handelii H. Wolff.

Plants 60–100 cm, perennial. Taproot branching, dark brown, woody. Stem erect, sometimes purplish-red, few-branched above, base without fibrous remnant sheaths. Basal leaves many, linear-oblong, 10–15 × 0.8–1 cm, thick-papery, often reddish brown-tinged, 11-nerved, base tapering into a long petiole, margins reddish and thickened. Cauline leaves often few, sessile; blade ovate-lanceolate, 2.5–7 cm × 8–12 mm, base rounded, clasping, margins purple, apex obtuse-acute. Terminal umbel 6–8 cm across; peduncles elongate and rigid; bracts 1–3, ovate-lanceolate, 7–20 × 0.5–1 cm, unequal, green or tinged red, apex obtuse-rounded; rays (3–)7–12, 1–4 cm, unequal; bracteoles 5, elliptic-obovate, 3–4 × 1.8–2.5 mm, often reddish, equaling or slightly exceeding flowers, shorter than umbellules in fruit; umbellules ca. 8 mm across, 10–12-flowered; pedicels 0.5–1.5 mm. Petals yellow. Stylopodium shape low-conic, color dark yellow. Fruit ovoid, reddish-brown when mature, 4–5 × 2.2–2.6 mm; vittae 3 in each furrow, 4 on commissure. Fl. and fr. Jul–Oct.

Open forests, grassy places on mountain slopes; 1900–4200 m. Sichuan, NW Yunnan.

This species has reputed medicinal value. See the taxonomic note under Bupleurum candollei.