Heracleum is a genus of about 60 species (depending on taxonomic interpretation) of biennial and perennial herbs in the carrot family Apiaceae. They are found throughout the temperate northern hemisphere and in high mountains as far south as Ethiopia. Common names for the genus or its species include hogweed and cow parsnip.

Heracleum is a genus of about 60 species of biennial and perennial herbs in the carrot family Apiaceae.
A new coumarin glucoside, 8-hydroxy-5-O-beta-D-glucosylpsoralen, along with 17 known coumarins and one steroid, was isolated from the roots of Heracleum rapula Franch. Four coumarin glucosides, including the new one, were obtained from the water-soluble fraction. The other coumarins isolated from the ethyl acetate-fraction included 10 furanocoumarins, a simple coumarin and three types of bicoumarins. Their structures were elucidated by means of spectroscopic analysis.