Bupleurum kunmingense Ying Li & S. L. Pan

The roots are used in traditional Chinese medicine. This rather poorly known taxon is recorded only from a few collections.

Plant 60–100 cm, perennial. Taproot slender, woody, rarely branched. Stem green, erect, base densely marked with annular leaf scars, without fibrous remnant sheaths. Basal leaves numerous, linear, 10–15 × 0.3–0.5 cm, abaxially glaucous, 3–7-nerved, thinly papery, base tapering, apex acuminate. Cauline leaves remote; blade narrowly lanceolate. Apical leaves small, 8–10 × 1.5–5 mm, 3–5-nerved, clasping. Umbels 1.5–4.5 cm across; bracts 5–8, narrow-elliptic, 1.5–5 × 1–2 mm, unequal; rays 4–11, 1–2.5 cm, unequal, slender; bracteoles 5, obovate or broad-elliptic, 2.5–3.5 × 1–2 mm, 3–5-nerved, greenish, exceeding the flowers; umbellules 4–6 mm across, 8–14-flowered; pedicels 1–1.5 mm, slender. Petals yellow. Stylopodium low-conic, yellow. Fruit oblong, brown, 2–3 × 1–2 mm; ribs prominent; vittae 3 in each furrow, 4 on commissure. Fl. Jul–Sep, fr. Aug–Oct.

E Yunnan (Kunming, Luxi).

Upland slopes; ca. 2000 m.