Ferula jaeschkeana Vatke

This is common on the hillsides from 1300 to 3000 m.

Plants 1–2 m, monocarpic, not strongly scented. Stem solitary, thick, robust, reddish brown, paniculate-branched, lower branches alternate, upper branches verticillate. Basal leaves petiolate; blade broadly triangular in outline, 2-ternately dissected, glabrous adaxially, pubescent abaxially, soon wilting; segments broadly ovate, ternate-bipinnatisect, ultimate segments oblong or oblong-lanceolate, 10–15 × 4–5 cm, 2-pinnatisect, base decurrent, finely serrate, apex short-acuminate. Cauline leaves reduced upwards, sheaths ovate-lanceolate, embracing. Umbels 3–10 cm across; terminal umbels sessile or subsessile, lateral umbels long-pedunculate, exceeding terminal; rays (5–)10–20 (–25), unequal; bracts absent; umbellules 15–20-flowered. Petals long-elliptic, apex acuminate, incurved. Stylopodium low-conic, base dilated, margin undulate; styles elongate. Fruit ellipsoid, 14–20 × 8–12 mm; vittae 1 in each furrow, 4–6 on commissure. Fl. Jun, fr. Jul.

Plants c. 2 m tall. Root thick, c. 3 cm in diameter in older plants. Stem base fibrous. Leaves large, up to 40 cm long, 2-3-pinnate, pubescent; pinnae decurrent; segments oblong, up to 10 cm long; margin serrate. Leaf base oblong, up to 12 cm long. Petals yellow. Fruit broadly oblong, 15-18 mm long, 10-1 2 mm broad, reddish; furrows 1-vittate; commissure 2-4-vittate. Fruit wing less than half the width of the seed.

W Xizang (Ngari, Zanda) [Afghanistan, Bhutan, NE India, W Pakistan; C Asia].

Distribution: Afghanistan, W. Pakistan.

Fl. Per. April to June.

Grassy slopes, among shrubs; ca. 3600 m.