平截独活 ping jie du huo

Plants to 1 m high. Root cylindrical. Stem solitary, branched, sparsely hispid or almost glabrous. Basal leaves ternate, both surfaces hispidulous; lateral leaflets ovate, 3–5 × ca. 3 cm, base cuneate; terminal leaflets broadly ovate, ca. 6 × 5 cm, 3–5-lobed, base truncate. Cauline leaves similar to the basal, lower leaves usually larger than basal, gradually reduced upward. Terminal umbels to 13 cm wide, lateral umbels smaller; peduncles 15–20 cm, densely hispid; bracts absent; rays 15–20, unequal, 5–9 cm, hispid; bracteoles 4–5, linear; flowers more than 20 per umbellule. Calyx teeth triangular, conspicuous. Petals white, outer flowers in umbels radiant. Fruit obovoid, 8–9 × 5–6 mm, sparsely hispidulous or almost glabrous; vittae solitary in each furrow, clavate, about half the length of mericarp, 2 on commissure, less than half or extending to half the length of mericarp. Seed face plane. Fl. Jul–Aug, fr. Aug–Sep. 2n = 22*.

Montane forests and thickets; 2600–3100 m. NE and W Sichuan.

This species has reputed medicinal value.