Plant: perennial, 1.5-8 dm, generally sparsely short-hairy to glabrous; roots thick, clustered, licorice-scented; stem branched, leafy Leaves: petiole 3-20 cm; blade 4-12 cm wide, widely ovate to round, 2-3-ternate, leaflets 1.5-5 cm, widely lanceolate to ovate, coarsely serrate to deeply cut INFLORESCENCE: umbels compound; peduncle 5-15 cm; bractlets generally 0; rays 2-5, 3-9 cm, spreading; pedicels 8-15 mm Flowers: small, many; calyx lobes 0; corolla white; petals obovate, white, purple, or greenish yellow (white), tips narrowed; disk sometimes present; stamens 5; pistil 1, ovary inferior, 2-chambered, with a low- or depressed-conic, persistent projection on top subtending 2 free styles; styles < 0.5 mm Fruit: 10-18 mm, club-like, slightly compressed side-to-side, bristly to glabrous; base tapered into tail, 3-8.5 mm; tip obtuse; ribs ± bristly; oil tubes per rib-interval obscure; fruit axis divided in upper ½; Seed: face concave or grooved Misc: Coniferous forest, aspen woodland; 500-3300 m.