Giant Angelic

The roots are used in traditional Chinese medicine.

Plants perennial, 1–2 m, stout. Root conic, gray brown, 2–5 cm thick. Stem purplish, ribbed. Basal and lower leaves petiolate, petioles 30–45 cm, sheaths broad; blade triangular-ovate in outline, 20–40 × 20–30 cm, 2–3-ternate-pinnate, basal pinnae petiolulate; leaflets oblong-lanceolate, 4–15 × 1.5–5 cm, base decurrent, margin irregularly coarse-toothed, apex acute, slightly scabrous along nerves adaxially. Upper leaves purple-green, sheaths broadly inflated, often bladeless. Umbel purple, subglobose, 5–8 cm across, up to 12 cm in fruit, peduncles, rays and pedicels all hispidulous; peduncles 2–6 cm; bracts 2, saccate, dark purple; rays many, stout, 2–3 cm; bracteoles dark purple, several, ovate-lanceolate; pedicels many, 3–8 mm. Calyx teeth obsolete. Petals dark purple-red, obovate. Anthers purple. Fruit ellipsoid, 5–8 × 3–5 mm; dorsal ribs prominent, lateral ribs broad-winged; vittae 1(–2) in each furrow, 2(–4) on commissure. Fl. Jul–Aug, fr. Aug–Sep. n = 11*.

Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning [Japan, Korea].

Forests, grasslands, streamsides; ca. 1000 m.