OBJECTIVE: To confirm the original plant of traditional Chinese drug "Bai Zhi" and to inquire into the cultivation history of "Bai Zhi" and evolution of closely related wild plants of "Bai Zhi". METHOD: Various research results obtained were synthesized and discussed according to historical and current data. RESULT: Obtained research results, historical and current data showed almost no difference. CONCLUSION: 1. Angelica dahurica var. formosana must be the original plant of traditional Chinese drug "Bai Zhi". 2. A. porphyrocaulis should be treated as a variety of A. dahurica, named as A. dahurica var. porphyrocaulis. 3. 4 sorts of Chinese traditional drug "Bai Zhi" (Chuang Bai Zhi, Hang Bai Zhi, Qi Bai Zhi and Yu Bai Zhi) should not be taxonomically distinguished. The history of utilization and cultivation of "Bai Zhi", and the evolutional relation of the closely related wild plants of "Bai Zhi" (A. dahurica, A. dahurica var. formosana, and A. dahurica var. porphyrocaulis) were also discussed.
OBJECTIVE: To confirm the original plant of traditional Chinese drug "Bai Zhi" and to inquire into the cultivation history of "Bai Zhi" and evolution of closely related wild plants of "Bai Zhi". METHOD: Various research results obtained were synthesized and discussed according to historical and current data. RESULT: Obtained research results, historical and current data showed almost no difference. CONCLUSION: 1. Angelica dahurica var. formosana must be the original plant of traditional Chinese drug "Bai Zhi". 2. A. porphyrocaulis should be treated as a variety of A. dahurica, named as A. dahurica var. porphyrocaulis. 3. 4 sorts of Chinese traditional drug "Bai Zhi" (Chuang Bai Zhi, Hang Bai Zhi, Qi Bai Zhi and Yu Bai Zhi) should not be taxonomically distinguished. The history of utilization and cultivation of "Bai Zhi", and the evolutional relation of the closely related wild plants of "Bai Zhi" (A. dahurica, A. dahurica var. formosana, and A. dahurica var. porphyrocaulis) were also discussed.