Abstract: Using Illicium verum（Illicium verum Hook. f.） as the experimental material, the content of 36 elements in Illicium verum was determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry （ICP-MS） and the correlation between elements was analyzed. The results showed that the detection limits of 36 elements in Illicium verum were 0~4.484 6 mg/kg, the quantification limits were 0.000 1~14.948 8 mg/kg, and the average spiked recovery rates were 99.12%~104.25%. This method had a good linear relationship within a certain concentration range, with correlation coefficients greater than 0.996 0. Illicium verum had the highest content of constant elements, followed by heavy metal elements, and the lowest content was rare earth elements. Most elements in Illicium verum had significant positive correlations with other elements, while only Na and Mg, Ni, and Mg and Sn had significant negative correlations. Rare earth elements were mainly divided into two categories, with the first major category including La Ce,Pr,Nd,Sm,Gd,Tb, and the second major category of elements included Dy Ho,Er,Tm,Yb,Lu. The results of principal component analysis showed that Cr, Fe, Co, Ge, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, and Gd accounted for a large proportion in the first principal component, Ho, Er, Tm, and Yb account for a large proportion in the second principal component, Al, K, and Mn accounted for a large proportion in the third principal component, Cd and Sb accounted for a large proportion in the fourth principal component, and As accounted for a large proportion in the fifth principal component. This method was fast, accurate, and easy to operate, meeting the detection requirements.

Key words: Illicium verum（Illicium verum Hook. f.）, element content, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, correlation evaluation, Gulong Town, Teng County, Guangxi