台湾柴胡 tai wan chai hu

Plants 30–70 cm, perennial. Rootstock slender, branched. Stems several, erect, much-branched from base, base without fibrous remnant sheaths. Basal and lower leaves petiolate; blade oblong-lanceolate or spatulate, 5–10 × 0.5–1 cm, apex acute. Upper leaves numerous, sessile, oblanceolate to oblong-spatulate, 1–3 × 0.3–0.7 cm, almost embracing, 5–7-nerved. Umbels 3–5 cm across; bracts 2–3, lanceolate, 5–10 × 3–5 mm; rays 5–6, 1–3 cm, unequal; bracteoles 4–5, linear-lanceolate, 1–5 mm; umbellules ca. 1 cm across, ca. 5-flowered; pedicels 1–3 mm. Petals yellow. Stylopodium low-conic, yellow. Fruit oblong, brown, 2–3 × 1–1.5 mm; vittae large, usually 2–3 in each furrow, 4 on commissure. Fl. and fr. Jun–Aug. n = 12*.

Mountain slopes; ca. 100 m. C and N Taiwan.

This species has reputed medicinal value. It is the only species of Bupleurum reported from Taiwan, but is rather poorly known and is recorded only from a few collections.