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(bugbane), a genus of perennial grasses; generally, the tall plants of the family Ranunculaceae. The leaves are either ternate or biternate. The blossoms, which are white or cream, are small and numerous. They are gathered into simple or compound racemes. There are more than ten species, distributed in the temperate areas of the northern hemisphere. Five species are found in the USSR, usually in meadows and sparse forests. The plants are decorative but poisonous. Some species of Cimicifuga have an unpleasant odor that repels bugs (hence the generic name). Some species, such as C. dahurica, are used in the form of an infusion as a sedative for excitability, insomnia, and early stages of hypertension.