Plant: perennial plant 3-12 dm, nearly glabrous to finely hairy; roots thick, clustered, licorice-scented; Stem branched, leafy Leaves: petiole 5-16 cm; blade 4-20 cm wide, widely ovate to obovate, 2-ternate, leaflets 2-8 cm, widely lanceolate to round, serrate to irregularly cut or lobed INFLORESCENCE: umbels compound; peduncle 5-25 cm; bractlets generally 0; rays 3-8, 2-12 cm, spreading-ascending; pedicels 4-20 mm Flowers: small, many; calyx lobes 0; corolla white; petals obovate, white, purple, or greenish yellow (white), tips narrowed; stamens 5; pistil 1, ovary inferior, 2-chambered, a conic, persistent projection on top subtending 2 free styles; styles generally < 1 mm Fruit: 12-25 mm, linear-fusiform or -oblong, slightly compressed side-to-side, bristly to glabrous; base tapered into tail, 2-8.5 mm; tip tapered into slender beak; ribs bristly; oil tubes per rib-interval obscure; fruit axis divided in upper ½; Seed: face concave or grooved Misc: Coniferous forests, woodland, disturbed areas; 100-2800 m.