Abstract: Czernaevia Turcz. is a monotypic genus in the Umbelliferae, tribe Peucedaneae, with the only species Cz. laevigata Turcz. occurring in northern East Asia. Although the species has often been included in Angelica L., and sometimes even in Ostericum Hoffm., the present study indicates that it is distinct not only in having dimorphic petals, but also in its fruit structure, pollen morphology and phytochemical components. The fruit has numerous, compressed vittae, the pollen grains are not constricted at the equatorial region with a small P/E ratio (1.7-2.1), and neither coumarins nor flavonoids have been found to be present at significant level in the species. It is taxonomically probably rather isolated and the monotypic genus Czernaevia is tenable.

Key words: Umbelliferae, Czernaevia, Angelica, Ostericum