Asafoetida is a plant of the genus Asafoetida in the Apiaceae family. It is the resin of the Umbelliferae plant Xinjiang Asafoetida or Fukang Asafoetida. It can be harvested from the full flowering stage to the early fruiting stage in late spring and early summer, but it is better to harvest during the full flowering stage. Cut diagonally from the upper part of the stem downwards in stages, collect the exuded milky resin, and dry it in the shade.

Asafoetida is a perennial herb that bears fruit once, 0.5-1.5 meters high, and the whole plant has a strong onion-garlic-like odor. The root is spindle-shaped or conical, thick, with withered leaf sheath fibers remaining on the root neck. The stem is usually single, sparsely 2-5, and strong; the leaves are triangular-ovate in outline, with three-out and three-pinnate lobes.

Last lobes are broadly oval, lobed or toothed at the upper part, extending downward at the base, 10 mm long; grey-green, sparsely hairy on the upper surface, densely pubescent on the lower surface, withering early; Stem leaves gradually simplify and become smaller, leaf sheaths are ovate-lanceolate, herbaceous, withered.

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Compound umbels are born at the tops of stems and branches, with a diameter of 8-12 cm and no involucre. ; Umbrella spokes 5-25, nearly equal in length, pubescent, central inflorescence nearly sessile, lateral inflorescences 1-4, smaller, opposite or whorled on branches, sparsely solitary, often extending beyond the central inflorescence, The plant thickens when mature; small umbels have 10-20 flowers, the small involucral bracts are broadly lanceolate and fall off; the calyx teeth are small;

The petals are yellow, oval, 2 mm long, with the top Acuminate, curved inward, dark along the midrib, slightly concave inward, hairy on the outside; style base oblate conical, edge widened, wavy, style elongated, stigma capitate. The meriste is oval, dorsally and ventrally compressed, 10-12 mm long, 5-6 mm wide, sparsely hairy, with protruding fruit ribs; there are 3-4 oil tubes in each rib groove, of different sizes, and 12-12-12 mm oil tubes on the commissure surface. 14. The flowering period is from April to May, and the fruiting period is from May to June.

Baidu Encyclopedia - Xinjiang Asafoetida

Baidu Encyclopedia - Asafoetida