Objective: To determine the contents of trace elements in Hedysari Radix from different places in Gansu province

and provide reliable method for the effective quality control of Hedysari Radix. Method: Wet digestion method was used to process the samples and flame atomic absorption spectrometry was used to determine the contents of Fe

Cu

Ca

Mn

Zn

Mg

Cd

Cr

Co

Na

Li

Ni and K in Hedysari Radix. The analysis of variance and clustering analysis were applied to analyze the results. Result: The elemental contents in Hedysari Radix were as follows: Fe (0.865 9-2.607 1 μg·g-1)

Cu (0.185 6-0.467 3 μg·g-1)

Ca (2.770 1-3.411 6 μg·g-1)

Mn(0.797 6-0.994 4 μg·g-1)

Zn (2.732 2-6.482 0 μg·g-1)

Mg (88.725 8-99.263 5 μg·g-1)

Ni (0.196 6-0.232 4 μg·g-1)

Cr (0.059 9-0.068 9 μg·g-1)

Co (0.067 0-0.071 6 μg·g-1)

Na (20.758 5-27.021 8 μg·g-1)

Li (0.341 2-0.423 0 μg·g-1)

K (16.695 9-18.753 5 μg·g-1). Cd was not detected in Hedysari Radix. The order for average elemental contents was Mg> Na> K> Zn> Ca> Fe> Mn> Li> Cu> Ni> Co> Cr> Cd from high to low. There was significant difference in contents of Fe

K

Zn

Ni

Na

Mg

Mn and Cr (P<0.05)

but the difference was not significant in contents of Cu

Ca

Li and Co in Hedysari Radix from 32 places. The results of clustering analysis showed that 32 samples were clustered into four different groups. The majority of cultivated Hedysari Radix samples were classified into the first group

and wild Hedysari Radix samples were classified into the second group. Conclusion: The differences of trace elements content in Hedysari Radix are not only related to places

but also related to cultivated Hedysari Radix or wild Hedysari Radix.