Herbs, perennial, essentially glabrous. Stem erect, branching above or simple. Basal and lower leaves petiolate, sheaths broad, membranous; blade broadly triangular to triangular in outline, ternate or ternate-2–3-pinnate; ultimate segments ovate or ovate-lanceolate, serrate, dentate-divided or lobed. Upper leaves reduced, usually ternate-pinnate. Umbels compound, terminal and lateral; peduncles longer than the leaves; bracts and bracteoles usually absent; rays ascending-spreading. Calyx teeth obsolete. Petals white or pinkish, obovate, apex with narrow inflexed lobule. Stylopodium conic; styles long, reflexed. Fruit oblong, oblong-ovoid or ovoid, slightly flattened laterally, glabrous; mericarp subrounded in cross section; ribs filiform, prominent to obscure; vittae inconspicuous. Seed face plane. Carpophore bifid at apex.

Aegopodium anthriscoides (H. de Boissieu) H. de Boissieu (Bull. Soc. Bot. France 56: 350. 1909; Carum anthriscoides H. de Boissieu, Bull. Soc. Bot. France 53: 426. 1906) was described from Chongqing (“Tchen-Kéou” [Chengkou], P. G. Farges s.n., holotype, P). However, it is not treated in this account as it is imperfectly known.

About seven species: Asia, Europe; five species (two endemic) in China.

(Authors: She Menglan (佘孟兰 Sheh Meng-lan); Mark F. Watson)