Vincetoxicum mongolicum Maximowicz, Melanges Biol. Bull. Phys.-Math. Acad. Imp. Sci. Saint-Petersbourg 9: 780. 1876; Cynanchum hancockianum (Maximowicz) Iljinski; C. komarovii Iljinski; C. lateriflorum (Hemsley) Kitagawa; Pycnostelma lateriflorum Hemsley; Vincetoxicum hancockianum (Maximowicz) C. Y. Wu & D. Z. Li; V. lateriflorum (Hemsley) Kitagawa; V. mongolicum var. hancockianum Maximowicz.

Herbs usually glabrous, rarely sparsely puberulent, glaucous. Stems erect, to 50 cm tall, occasionally puberulent along 1 side, glabrescent. Leaves opposite or whorled; petiole 0-5 mm; leaf blade narrowly oblong-elliptic to lanceolate or rhomboid, 3-10 × 0.5-3 cm, leathery or thick papery, base cuneate, margin sometimes ciliate, apex acuminate or acute; lateral veins ca. 4 pairs, often obscure. Inflorescences umbel-like, shorter than leaves; peduncle ca. 1.2 cm. Pedicel ca. 5 mm. Sepals ovate-lanceolate, 1-1.7 × 0.5-1 mm; basal glands 5. Corolla purple; tube ca. 1 mm; lobes ovate, 2-3 × 1.5-2 mm, glabrous. Corona deeply 5-lobed; lobes fleshy, keeled, obtuse, ca. as long as anthers. Pollinia ovoid. Stigma head depressed to slightly elevated. Follicles oblong-lanceolate, 6.5-7 cm × 5-10 mm, with 2-4 narrow ridges along beak, usually solitary, hanging when ripe. Seeds oblong, ca. 5 × 3 mm; coma ca. 2 cm. Fl. May-Aug, fr. Jun-Nov.

All parts are used internally for relieving pain and externally for treating rheumatoid arthritis, traumatic injury, and abscesses.

The correct position of Cynanchum mongolicum var. hupehense Pampanini (Nuovo Giorn. Bot. Ital. 17: 695. 1910) is not known.

* Mountains, sand barrens; 0-3000 m. Gansu, Hebei, Nei Mongol, Ningxia, Qinghai, Shaanxi, Shanxi, Sichuan