Angelica

Life-forms

Classification System: APG IV

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Cladus: Orthokaryota
Cladus: Neokaryota
Cladus: Photokaryota
Cladus: Diaphoretickes
Cladus: CAM
Cladus: Archaeplastida
Regnum: Plantae
Cladus: Angiosperms
Cladus: Eudicots
Cladus: Core eudicots
Cladus: Asterids
Cladus: Campanulids
Ordo: Apiales

Familia: Apiaceae
Subfamilia: Apioideae
Tribus: Selineae
Genus: Angelica
Species: A. acutiloba – A. adzharica – A. ampla – A. angelicastrum – A. anomala – A. apaensis – A. archangelica – A. arguta – A. atropurpurea – A. biserrata – A. brevicaulis – A. breweri – A. californica – A. callii – A. canbyi – A. capitellata – A. cartilaginomarginata – A. cincta – A. cryptotaeniifolia – A. cyclocarpa – A. czernaevia – A. dabashanensis – A. dahurica – A. dailingensis – A. dawsonii – A. decurrens – A. decursiva – A. dentata – A. duclouxii – A. edulis – A. genuflexa – A. gigas – A. glauca – A. gmelinii – A. grayi – A. hakonensis – A. hendersonii – A. heterocarpa – A. hohuanshanensis – A. inaequalis – A. indica – A. japonica – A. kaghanica – A. kangdingensis – A. keiskei – A. kingii – A. komarovii – A. laxifoliata – A. lignescens – A. likiangensis – A. lineariloba – A. longeradiata – A. longicaudata – A. longipes – A. lucida – A. major – A. maowenensis – A. megaphylla – A. minamitanii – A. morii – A. morrisonicola – A. muliensis – A. multicaulis – A. multisecta – A. nakaiana – A. nelsonii – A. nitida – A. nubigena – A. oreada – A. pachycarpa – A. paeoniifolia – A. pinnata – A. pinnatiloba – A. polymorpha – A. pseudoselinum – A. pseudoshikokiana – A. pubescens – A. pyrenaea – A. razulii – A. remotiserrata – A. roseana – A. saxatilis – A. saxicola – A. scabrida – A. setchuenensis – A. shikokiana – A. sinanomontana – A. sinensis – A. sylvestris – A. taiwaniana – A. tarokoensis – A. tenuisecta – A. ternata – A. tianmuensis – A. tomentosa – A. triquinata – A. turcica – A. ubadakensis – A. ursina – A. urumiensis – A. valida – A. venenosa – A. viridiflora – A. wheeleri – A. yakusimensis – A. yanyuanensis
Nothospecies: A. × mixta

This taxon list was last updated on 1 October 2023.

Name

Angelica L., Sp. Pl. 1: 250 (1753).

Lectotype species: Angelica sylvestris L., designated by Reduron & Jarvis, Taxon 41: 557 (1992).

Synonyms

Heterotypic
Archangelica Wolf, Gen. Pl. 32 (1776).
Coelopleurum Ledeb., Fl. Ross. (Ledeb.) 2(1,5): 361 (1844).
Sphenosciadium A.Gray, Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 6: 536 (1865).

References
Primary references

Linnaeus, C. 1753. Species Plantarum. Tomus I: 250. Reference page.

Additional references

Liao, C.Y., Downie, S.R., Li, Q., Yu, Y., He, X.-J. & Zhou. B. 2013. New insights into the phylogeny of Angelica and its allies (Apiaceae) with emphasis on East Asian species, inferred from nrDNA, cpDNA, and morphological evidence. Systematic Botany 38(1): 266–281. DOI: 10.1600/036364413X662060 PDF. Reference page.
Liao, C.Y., Downie, S.R., Li, Q., Yu, Y. & He, X.-J. 2012. Historical biogeography of the Angelica group (Apiaceae tribe Selineae) inferred from analyses of nrDNA and cpDNA sequences. Journal of Systematics and Evolution 50: 206–217. DOI: 10.1111/j.1759-6831.2012.00182.x PDF. Reference page.
Spalik, K., Reduron, J.-P. & Downie, S.R. 2004. The phylogenetic position of Peucedanum sensu lato and allied genera and their placement in tribe Selineae (Apiaceae, subfamily Apioideae). Plant Systematics and Evolution 243(3–4): 189–210. DOI: 10.1007/s00606-003-0066-2 ResearchGate Reference page.

Links

Govaerts, R. et al. 2023. Angelica in Kew Science Plants of the World Online. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published online. Accessed: 2023 October 1. Reference page.
International Plant Names Index. 2023. Angelica. Published online. Accessed: October 1 2023. Reference page.
Hassler, M. 2023. World Plants. Synonymic Checklist and Distribution of the World Flora. . Angelica. Accessed: 1 October 2023.
Hassler, M. 2023. Angelica. World Plants: Synonymic Checklists of the Vascular Plants of the World In: Roskovh, Y., Abucay, L., Orrell, T., Nicolson, D., Bailly, N., Kirk, P., Bourgoin, T., DeWalt, R.E., Decock, W., De Wever, A., Nieukerken, E. van, Zarucchi, J. & Penev, L., eds. 2023. Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life. Published online. Accessed: 2023 October 1. Reference page.

Vernacular names
العربية: حشيشة الملاك
azərbaycanca: Tütəkotu
башҡортса: Шыма көпшә
беларуская: Дуднік
čeština: Děhel
Cymraeg: Llysiau'r angel
dansk: Angelik
Deutsch: Engelwurzen
English: Angelica
eesti: Heinputk
فارسی: سنبل ختایی
suomi: Karhunputket
français: Angélique
Gaeilge: Ainglice
magyar: Angyalgyökér
հայերեն: Բոխնի
Ido: Angeliko
íslenska: Hvönn
italiano: Angelica
日本語: シシウド属
қазақша: Аюбалдырған
한국어: 당귀
lietuvių: Šventagaršvė
кырык мары: Мӧскӓвыч
Nederlands: Engelwortel
norsk: Kvanner
polski: Dzięgiel
русский: Дягиль
slovenčina: Angelika
shqip: Angjelika
svenska: Kvannesläktet
Tagalog: Anghelika
Türkçe: Melek otu
українська: Дягель
Tiếng Việt: Chi Đương quy
中文（简体）: 当归属
中文（繁體）: 當歸屬

Angelica is a genus of about 90 species of tall biennial and perennial herbs in the family Apiaceae, native to temperate and subarctic regions of the Northern Hemisphere, reaching as far north as Iceland, Sápmi, and Greenland.[2] They grow to 1–3 m (3 ft 3 in – 9 ft 10 in) tall, with large bipinnate leaves and large compound umbels of white or greenish-white flowers. It shows variations in fruit anatomy, leaf morphology, and subterranean structures. The genes are extremely polymorphic.

Some species can be found in purple moor and rush pastures.
Purple-stemmed Angelica (Angelica atropurpurea) found near Winona, MN, USA. The plant is seen here where it was growing near a creek.
Characteristics

Angelica species grow to 1–3 m (3 ft 3 in – 9 ft 10 in) tall, with large bipinnate leaves and large compound umbels of white or greenish-white flowers. Their large, sparkling, starburst flowers[3] are pollinated by a great variety of insects (the generalist pollination syndrome),[4] the floral scents are species-specific, and even specific to particular subspecies.[5] The active ingredients of angelica are found in the roots and rhizomes[6] and contains furocoumarins in its tissues, which make the skin sensitive to light.[7]
Species

List of species accepted by Plants of the World Online as of December 2022:[1]

Angelica acutiloba
Angelica adzharica – Adjarian angelica
Angelica ampla – giant angelica
Angelica angelicastrum – Norwegian angelica[note 1]
Angelica anomala – anomalous angelica
Angelica apaensis
Angelica archangelica – garden angelica, archangel, angelique
Angelica arguta – sharp-toothed angelica, Lyall's angelica
Angelica atropurpurea – purplestem angelica, alexanders, American angelica, masterwort
Angelica biserrata – heavy-toothed angelica
Angelica brevicaulis – short-stem angelica
Angelica breweri – Brewer's angelica
Angelica californica – California angelica
Angelica callii – Call's angelica
Angelica canbyi – Canby's angelica
Angelica capitellata – Ranger buttons
Angelica cartilaginomarginata
Angelica cincta – Hubei angelica
Angelica cryptotaeniifolia
Angelica cyclocarpa – Nepalese angelica
Angelica czernaevia – Eastern Siberian angelica, parsley angelica
Angelica dabashanensis
Angelica dahurica – Chinese angelica, garden angelica, wild angelica
Angelica dailingensis
Angelica dawsonii – Dawson's angelica
Angelica decurrens – descending angelica
Angelica decursiva
Angelica dentata – coastalplain angelica
Angelica duclouxii – DuCloux's angelica
Angelica edulis
Angelica genuflexa – kneeling angelica
Angelica gigas
Angelica glauca
Angelica gmelinii – Gmelin's angelica, Okhostk angelica
Angelica grayi – Gray's angelica
Angelica hakonensis – Hakone angelica
Angelica hendersonii – Henderson's angelica
Angelica heterocarpa – variable-fruit angelica
Angelica inaequalis – unequal angelica
Angelica indica – Indian angelica
Angelica japonica – Japanese angelica
Angelica kaghanica
Angelica kangdingensis
Angelica keiskei
Angelica kingii – King's angelica
Angelica komarovii
Angelica laxifoliata
Angelica lignescens [9]
Angelica likiangensis
Angelica lineariloba – poison angelica
Angelica longeradiata
Angelica longicaudata
Angelica longipes
Angelica lucida – seacoast angelica
Angelica major
Angelica maowenensis
Angelica megaphylla
Angelica minamitanii
Angelica mixta
Angelica morii
Angelica morrisonicola
Angelica muliensis
Angelica multicaulis
Angelica multisecta
Angelica nakaiana
Angelica nelsonii
Angelica nitida
Angelica nubigena
Angelica oreada
Angelica pachycarpa – Portuguese angelica
Angelica paeoniifolia
Angelica palustris – marsh angelica
Angelica pinnata – small-leaf angelica
Angelica pinnatiloba
Angelica polymorpha
Angelica pseudoselinum
Angelica pseudoshikokiana
Angelica pubescens
Angelica pyrenaea
Angelica razulii
Angelica roseana – rose angelica
Angelica saxatilis
Angelica saxicola
Angelica scabrida – Charleston Mountain angelica, rough angelica
Angelica setchuenensis
Angelica shikokiana
Angelica sinanomontana
Angelica sinensis
Angelica sylvestris – wild angelica
Angelica taiwaniana
Angelica tarokoensis
Angelica tenuisecta
Angelica tenuissima – Korean gobon,[10] slender angelica[10]
Angelica ternata
Angelica tianmuensis
Angelica tomentosa – woolly angelica
Angelica triquinata – filmy angelica, mountain angelica
Angelica turcica
Angelica ubadakensis
Angelica ursina – ezo angelica
Angelica urumiensis
Angelica valida
Angelica venenosa – hairy angelica
Angelica viridiflora
Angelica wheeleri – Utah angelica
Angelica yakusimensis
Angelica yanyuanensis

Cultivation and uses

Some species are grown as flavouring agents or for their medicinal properties.[11] The most notable of these is garden angelica (A. archangelica), which is commonly known simply as angelica. Crystallized strips of young angelica stems and midribs are green in colour and are sold as decorative and flavoursome cake decoration material, but may also be enjoyed on their own. The roots and seeds are commonly used to flavour gin. Its presence accounts for the distinct flavour of many liqueurs, such as Chartreuse.

Seacoast angelica (A. lucida) has been eaten as a wild version of celery.

A. sylvestris and some other species are eaten by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species, including bordered pug, grey pug, lime-speck pug and the V-pug.
Asia

The radix of Angelica dahurica is widely used as an herbal remedy in traditional Chinese medicine and is known as bai zhi.[12][13] In Korean medicine, its name is baek-ji.[12]

In parts of Japan, especially the Izu Islands, the shoots and leaves of ashitaba (A. keiskei) are eaten as tempura, particularly in the spring.
Europe

Natives of Lapland use the fleshy roots as food and the stalks as medicine. Among the Sami people of Lapland, the plant is used to make a traditional musical instrument the fadno.
North America

A. dawsonii was used by several first nations in North America for ritual purposes.

A. atropurpurea is found in North America from Newfoundland west to Wisconsin and south to Maryland, and was smoked by Missouri tribes for colds and respiratory ailments.[medical citation needed] This species is very similar in appearance to the poisonous water hemlock.

The boiled roots of angelica were applied internally and externally to wounds by the Aleut people in Alaska to speed healing.[medical citation needed]
Notes

Accepted by PoWO, but considered a synonym of Angelica major by GBIF.[8]

References

"Angelica L." powo.science.kew.org. Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 20 December 2022.
Johannes Gröntved. "Kvanen -. Dens Udbredelse Og Anvendelse" (PDF).
"Angelica grayi (Angelica)". Southern Colorado Wildflowers. Archived from the original on 8 May 2013. Retrieved 10 July 2012.
Van Der Kooi, C. J.; Pen, I.; Staal, M.; Stavenga, D. G.; Elzenga, J. T. M. (2015). "Competition for pollinators and intra-communal spectral dissimilarity of flowers". Plant Biology. 18 (1): 56–62. doi:10.1111/plb.12328. PMID 25754608.
Tollsten, L.; Knudsen, J. T.; Bergström, L. G. (1994). "Floral Scent in Generalistic Angelica (Apiaceae) — An Adaptive Character?". Biochemical Systematics and Ecology. 22 (2): 161–169. Bibcode:1994BioSE..22..161T. doi:10.1016/0305-1978(94)90006-X.
"Comprehensive Guide to Angelica Species". Meschino Health. Archived from the original on 18 July 2017. Retrieved 10 July 2012.
"Angelica - A Plant of the Family Apiaceae". Scienceray. Retrieved 10 July 2012.
Angelica
Acta botanica Gallica 144: 186 (1997)
English Names for Korean Native Plants (PDF). Pocheon: Korea National Arboretum. 2015. p. 354. ISBN 978-89-97450-98-5. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 May 2017. Retrieved 16 December 2016 – via Korea Forest Service forest.go.kr.
"Spices and Herbs". fs.fed.us. US: United States Forest Service, Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 25 May 2022.
Batiha GE, Shaheen HM, Elhawary EA, et al. (28 December 2022). "Phytochemical Constituents, Folk Medicinal Uses, and Biological Activities of Genus Angelica: A Review". Molecules. 28 (1): 267. doi:10.3390/molecules28010267. PMC 9822461. PMID 36615460.
Yi Jin; Cheng Qu; Yuping Tang; et al. (2016). "Herb pairs containing Angelicae Sinensis Radix (Danggui): A review of bio-active constituents and compatibility effects". Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 181: 158–171. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2016.01.033. ISSN 0378-8741. PMID 26807913. Retrieved 2 January 2025 – via science direct.com.PGIV