Sickle-leaved hare's-ear

Description

Bupleurum falcatum, also known as sickle-leaved hare's-ear, Chinese thoroughwax, sickle hare's ear and sickle-leaf hare's ear, is a species of flowering plant in the family Apiaceae.It is endemic to Europe and Western Asia.Bupleurum falcatum has been used in Chinese medicine for over 2,000 years as a "liver tonic".Bupleurum falcatum has been found to possess antidepressant properties, mediated through the serotonergic & noradrenergic systems (although the precise mechanism remains to be found). Bupleurum is a large genus of annual or perennial herbs or woody shrubs, with about 190 species, belonging to the family Apiaceae. The full size of its species may vary between a few cm to up to 3 m high. Their compound umbels of small flowers are adorned with bracteoles that are sometimes large and may play a role in attracting pollinators. Rare among the Apiaceae are the simple leaves, bracts (if present), and bracteoles. The genus is almost exclusively native in the Old World Northern Hemisphere, with one species native to North America and one species native to southern Africa.