A perennial umbelliferous plant that reaches a height of 8 feet, and has a solid, cylindrical, slender stem which gives rise to about twelve branches. The root-leaves are 2 1/2 feet long, triangular in outline, while the stem-leaves rapidly decrease in size until they are mere sheathing bracts. The pieces of root, as met with in commerce, are from 1 to 3 inches in diameter and 3/4 to 1 inch in thickness. They are covered on the outside with a duskybrown, papery, transversely-wrinkled cork, sometimes fibrous; within they are spongy, coarsely fibrous, dry, and dirty yellowishbrown, with white patches and spots of resin. The odour is strong and musk-like, the taste bitter and aromatic.

Antispasmodic, aperitif, emmenagogue, mucostimulant, narcotic, nervine, sedative, stimulant, tonic, tranquilizer, uterotonic and vermifuge (root)

Plants For A Future

Angelic acid, betaine, butyric acid, umbelliferone, valerianic acid and vanillic acid (plant)

The roots are useful in treating amenorrhea, anorexia, asthma, bronchitis, cramps, debility, diarrhea, dysentery, dysmenorrhea, high blood pressure, hypertonia, hysteria, insomnia, nausea, nervousness, neurosis, pneumonia, uterosis and worm troubles.

James A Duke and Maryl Fulton. Handbook of Medicinal Herbs - 2nd Edition, P: 705, CRC Press July 2002.