Angelica decursiva (Miq.) Franch. & Sav.

The roots are used in the important traditional Chinese medicine “qian hu” (see also Peucedanum praeruptorum), particularly in the treatment of colds, coughs, and fevers. White-flowered plants in NE China may be referred to Angelica decursiva f. albiflora (Maximowicz) Nakai (J. Coll. Sci. Imp. Univ. Tokyo 16(1): 268. 1909; Peucedanum decursivum var. albiflorum Maximowicz, Melanges Biol. Bull. Phys.-Math. Acad. Imp. Sci. Saint-Pétersbourg 12: 473. 1886).

Plants perennial, 1–2 m high. Root brown, conic, 1–2 cm thick, strongly aromatic. Stem often purple-green, ribbed, glabrous. Petioles 13–36 cm, sheaths purple, elliptic; blade triangular to ovate, 10–25 cm, 1–2-ternate-pinnate; leaflets ovate or oblong-lanceolate, 5–15 × 2–5 cm, base decurrent, margin white-cartilaginous and cuspidate-serrate, apex acute, midribs often purple-green, hispidulous along nerves adaxially. Peduncles 3–8 cm, pubescent; bracts 1–3, purplish, ovate, sheath-like, reflexed; rays 10–22, 2–4 cm, pubescent; bracteoles 3–8, linear to lanceolate, green or purple; pedicels pubescent. Calyx teeth triangular-subulate. Petals dark purple, obovate or ellipsoid-lanceolate, apex incurved but not notched. Anthers dark purple. Fruit oblong to ovoid-orbicular, 4–7 × 3–5 mm; dorsal ribs filiform, acute, lateral ribs thickly narrow-winged; vittae 1–3 in each furrow, 4–6 on commissure. Fl. Aug–Sep, fr. Sep–Nov. n = 11*.

Anhui, Guangdong, Guangxi, Hebei, Henan, Hubei, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Liaoning, Taiwan, Zhejiang; also NE China [Japan, Korea, Russia (Siberia), Vietnam].

Forest margins, shrubby thickets, slopes, streamsides; 200–800 m.

Flowering from August to September; fruiting from September to November.

Angelica decursiva is close relative of Angelica kangdingensis, but differs from the latter in its leaflets decurrent on petioles (vs. not decurrent), hispidulous adaxially (vs. glabrous).

Angelica decursiva is occurring in Anhui, Guangdong, Guangxi, Hebei, Henan, Hubei, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Liaoning, Taiwan, Zhejiang, also NE China, Japan, Korea, Russia (Siberia), Vietnam.

Phylogenetic affinities and historical biogeography of Angelica and its allies (Apiaceae tribe Selineae) were inferred from nuclear ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer sequences (Feng et al., 2009). Results corroborate a monophyletic Angelica (Angelica sensu stricto) upon the inclusion of Coelopleurum, Czernaevia. Angelica decursiva, which phylogenetic affinities is confirmed within Angelica. Northeast Asia (including Japan, northeast China, Korea and adjacent areas of Russia), Western Europe, and North America are inferred to be ancestral areas of Angelica based on optimal solutions of a dispersal-vicariance analysis, with the Hengduan Mountains likely providing a refugium for Angelica during the latter part of the Tertiary.

Plants perennial, 1-2 m high. Root brown, conic, 1-2 cm thick, strongly aromatic. Stem often purple-green, ribbed, glabrous. Petioles 13-36 cm, sheaths purple, elliptic; blade triangular to ovate, 10-25 cm, 1-2-ternate-pinnate; leaflets ovate or oblong-lanceolate, 5-15 cm long, 2-5 cm wide, base decurrent, margin white-cartilaginous and cuspidate-serrate, apex acute, midribs often purple-green, hispidulous along nerves adaxially. Peduncles 3-8 cm, pubescent; bracts 1-3, purplish, ovate, sheath-like, reflexed; rays 10-22, 2-4 cm, pubescent; bracteoles 3-8, linear to lanceolate, green or purple; pedicels pubescent. Calyx teeth triangular-subulate. Petals dark purple, obovate or ellipsoid-lanceolate, apex incurved but not notched. Anthers dark purple. Fruit oblong to ovoid-orbicular, 4-7 mm long, 3-5 mm wide; dorsal ribs filiform, acute, lateral ribs thickly narrow-winged; vittae 1-3 in each furrow, 4-6 on commissure.

The chromosomal number of Angelica decursiva is 2n = 22 (Vassiljeva and Pimenov, 1991; Pan et al., 1994; Okazaki and Sakata, 1995; Byung-Yun et al., 1996).

Growing in forest margins, shrubby thickets, slopes, streamsides; 200-800 m.

The root of Angelica decursiva is used as medically, particularly in the treatment of colds, coughs, and fevers.