Plants 30–70 cm, perennial. Stems few or many, base often purplish-red, with or without fibrous remnant sheaths. Basal leaves many; blade narrowly lanceolate, 12–25 × 0.7–1.6 cm, 7–9 nerved, apex short-acuminate, apiculate, base tapering into petioles; petioles 5–10 cm. Upper leaves sessile; blades lanceolate, 2.5–6 × 0.8–1.1 cm, base rounded-cuneate, embracing, apex acuminate. Umbels 4–6 cm across; bracts 1–2, lanceolate, 5–10 × 1–3 mm, similar to upper leaves, deciduous; rays 5–14, 1.5–3(–5) cm, unequal, stout, slightly incurved; bracteoles (5–) 7–12, elliptic-lanceolate, 5–7 × 2–3 mm, 5–7-nerved, exceeding flowers and fruit, base cuneate; umbellules 8–15 mm across, 10–20-flowered; pedicels 0.5–1.5 mm. Petals yellow. Stylopodium low-conic, discoid, yellow. Fruit broad-ellipsoid, dark brown, 3–4 × 2.5–3 mm, slightly glaucous; ribs prominent, narrowly winged; vittae 3 in each furrow, 4–6 on commissure. Fl. and fr. Jul–Sep. n = 32*.

Two varieties occur in China. Both have reputed medicinal value.

Mountain slopes; 300–2000 m. Hebei, Heilongjiang, Liaoning, Nei Mongol [Mongolia, SE Russia].