Hercules-all-heal

Opopanax chironius (Hercules' all-heal, sweet myrrh or opopanax) is a stout perennial herb of the carrot family (Apiaceae), native to the eastern Mediterranean and south-eastern Europe, growing on dry slopes, rocky hillsides and rough grassland. It develops a thick, fleshy taproot and an erect, branched, ribbed stem reaching 1-3 m in height. The large, pinnately divided leaves have broad, toothed segments and rough surfaces. Numerous small yellow flowers are borne in large compound umbels in summer, followed by flattened, winged fruits typical of the family. When the lower stem or root is cut, it exudes a yellowish gum-resin that hardens into reddish-brown tears, the aromatic substance long known commercially as opopanax and used in perfumery. The plant is the principal classical source of this resin.