Angelica glauca Edgew.

A common species in the Himalayas from 2-4000 m. The roots are said to be valuable for volatile oils.

Plants 1–2.5 m, glabrous, aromatic. Root thick, long-conic. Stem stout, ribbed. Leaves long-petiolate; blade triangular, 20–30 × 20–25 cm, 2–3-ternate-pinnate, primary pinnae long-petiolulate, proximal pinnules 3-foliolose; leaflets subsessile, ovate to oblong-ovate, 3–5 × 1.5–2.5 cm, base cuneate, margin mucronulate-serrate, glaucous abaxially. Peduncles 15–25 cm; bracts 5, linear, 1.5–2.5 cm, reflexed; rays 15–20, 2–6 cm, subequal; bracteoles 6–10, linear, ca. 6 mm, reflexed. Calyx teeth obsolete. Petals white, obovate. Fruit oblong-ellipsoid, 8–12 × 4–6 mm; dorsal ribs prominent, thick, obtuse-rounded, lateral ribs broad-winged; vittae 1 in each furrow, 2–4 on commissure. Fl. and fr. Jun–Aug.

Plants 1-2 m tall. Stem stout, fistular. Leaves petiolate; compound; 1-2-ternate-pinnate; leaflets oval to ovate, mucronulate-serrate, lower surface glau¬cous. Peduncle stout, c. 20 cm long. Involucre of 5 long, linear bracts. Rays 20 or more. Involucel of 6-I0 linear bractlets. Fruit 8-12 mm long, 5-6 mm broad, elliptic to oblong; dorsal and intermediate ridges thick, corky, obtuse, approxi¬mated; lateral ridges broadly winged; furrows 1-vittate; commissure 2-4-vit¬tate. Inner seed face concave.

W Xizang [Afghanistan, NW India, Pakistan].

Distribution: Afghanistan, Himalayas in India and W. Pakistan.

Ditchsides; ca. 3000 m.

Angelica glauca, the smooth angelica, is a species of flowering plant in the family Apiaceae. It is found from eastern Afghanistan through the western Himalayas to western Tibet. Collecting in the wild for its essential oil has driven this species to Endangered status.