Japanese Angelica Tree

Shrubs or small trees, 2-5(-8) m tall, andromonoecious. Branches armed with sparse prickles. Leaves 2(or 3)-pinnately compound, with a pair of accessory leaflets at each division of rachis; petiole to ca. 50 cm, glabrous or pubescent, prickly; petiolules 3-5 mm; leaflets 5-11(-13) per pinna, broadly ovate to elliptic-ovate or narrowly ovate, 5-12(-19) × 2.5-8 cm, membranous, papery, or subleathery, abaxially glabrous or light yellow or gray pubescent, sometimes or more densely pubescent on veins, or sometimes glabrescent, adaxially sparsely strigose, secondary veins 6-10 pairs, raised abaxially, conspicuous adaxially, base cordate to subcordate or rounded, margin serrulate, apex acuminate. Inflorescence a terminal panicle of umbels, densely yellow-brown or gray pubescent, unarmed; primary axis 1-5 cm; secondary axes 20-35 cm; ultimate axes with a terminal umbel of bisexual flowers and 1 to several lateral umbels of male flowers; bracts persistent, lanceolate to subulate, 2-5 mm, sometimes ciliate; umbels 6-15-flowered; pedicels 1-10 mm, densely pubescent. Ovary 5-carpellate; styles 5, free or united to middle. Fruit globose, ca. 3-4 mm in diam.; styles persistent. Fl. Jul-Sep, fr. Sep-Dec. 2n = 24*.

Anhui, Fujian, S Gansu, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hebei, Heilongjiang, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Jilin, Liaoning, Shaanxi, N Shandong, Shanxi, Sichuan, Yunnan, Zhejiang [Japan, Korea, E Russia].

Forests, forest margins, scrub fields, roadsides; near sea level to 2700 m.