Peucedanum of the Parsley Family
Aka Peucedanum japonicum Thunb.
Location: Africa, Asia, Europe (Very Abundant in China)
Peucedanum grows as a perennial. It is stout, with strong roots and a stable stem. The leaves are bushy and the leaflets quite long, at up to almost 3 inches in length. Small clusters of white flowers grow at the top along with ellipsoid, hairy fruits. It is more commonly found growing in sandy regions which are warm but still damp (near shores, streams in the desert, etc).
Although there are many traditional uses for Fang-K’uei, it has most widely been used medicinally. It can help as an eliminative or a diuretic. It is also a tussic. And Fang-K’uei is very commonly used as a natural sedative. It does have a deteriorating effect when used too long.
