Plants annual, 10–50 cm, sparsely shortly pubescent throughout, strongly aromatic. Taproot slender. Stem much-branched. Leaves heteromorphic. Basal leaves simple; petioles 2–5 cm; blade reniform or broad-ovate, 1–3 × 1.2–2.8 cm, puberulent along veins, margin serrate. Cauline leaves 1–2-pinnate; ultimate segments ovate or ovate-lanceolate, 6–17 × 2–7 mm, 3-lobed margin serrate or lacerate. Leaves reduced upwards, becoming 3-lobed; lobes lanceolate or linear-lanceolate. Umbels 1.5–6 cm across; bracts 1(or 2) or absent, linear-lanceolate, 1–2 mm; rays 7–15, 1–4 cm, unequal; bracteoles 1(or 2) or absent, linear, 2–3 mm; umbellules 5–10 mm across, ca. 10-flowered; pedicels 2–6 mm, extending to 10 mm in fruit. Calyx teeth obsolete. Petals white, obcordate, abaxially pubescent, apex with incurved lobule. Stylopodium conic; styles ca. 3 × stylopodium, ca. 0.5 × fruit, spreading or reflexed. Fruit oblong-ovoid, 3–5 × 2–2.5 mm, densely appressed setose-hairy; vittae 2–4 in each furrow, 4–8 on commissure, nearly forming a continuous ring around seed. Seed face plane. Fl. Jun–Jul, fr. Aug–Sep. 2n = 20.

This species is widely cultivated in mild-temperate regions (especially C and SW Asia and C and S Europe) for its aromatic fruit (anise), which is used in perfume and to flavor alcoholic drinks and confectionary. The species has reputed medicinal value in China.