n08 UMBELLIFER^ 



FRUCTUS FCENICULI. 



Fennel Fruits, Fennel Seeds ; F. Fruits cle Fenouil ; G. Fenchel 



r 



Botanical Origin — FceniciiluTrh milgare Gartn. (AnetJmm Fmii- 

 culum L.), an erect, branching plant with an herbaceous stem and 

 perennial rootstock, growing to the height of 3 or 4 feet, having leaves 

 3 or 3 times pinnate with narrow linear segments. In allusion to the 

 latter the plant had also been named Foeniciihim capillaeeum by 

 Gilibert 



truly 



Mediterranean 



Peninsula, but is a doubtful native in many parts of Central and 

 Southern Russia. The plant on the other hand is also found apparently 



Western 



especially in the vicinity of the sea. 



Fennel is largely cultivated in the central parts of Europe, as Saxony, 

 Franconia and Wurtemberg, also in the South of France about Nimes, 

 and in Italy. It is extensively grown in India and China. The Indian 

 plant is an annual of somewhat low stature.' 



The plant varies in stature, foliage, and in the size and form of its 

 iriuts; but all the forms belong apparently to a single species. 



History— Fennel was used by the ancient Komans, as well for its aro- 

 matic fruits, as for its edible succulent shoots. It was also employed in 

 Northern Europe at a remote period, as it is constantly mentioned in 

 the Anglo-Saxon medical receipts, which date as early at least as the 

 1 ; 1 ^l^^^^y- The diffusion of the plant in Central Europe was stimu- 

 lated by Charlemagne, who enjoined its cultivation on the imperial 



farms. 



foenuculi) 



as well as anise, are all mentioned in an ancient record '' of Spanish agri- 

 culture datmg A.D. 961. 



Description— The fennel fruits of commerce, commonly called 

 fennel i^eeds, are of several kinds and of very different pecuniary value. 

 1 he following are the principal sorts :— 



Fennel 



neighbourhood of Nimes in the south of France. The plant is a ta I 

 perennial with large umbels of 25 to 30 rays.' As the plants grow old, 

 me imits of_ each succeeding season gradually change in shape and 

 dimmish m size, till at the end of 4 or 5 years they are hardly to be 

 aistmguished from those of the wild fennel growing in the same district. 



Twi'ir'^"' M' remarked by Taberna^m?ntanu1 (1588), was experi- 

 mentally proved by Guibourt * 



cvlin^^- V' V ""l ^^^^^ ^^^^^1 as found in the shops are oblong, 

 7S'T' ^•^°';* ^'^ "? ^^ ^^^^ i^ ^^^gth by -,\ in diameter, more or less 

 arched, terminating with the two-pointed base of the style, and smooth 



ing seeds biSitTp^''' England, ripen- plant has the stem compressed at the ba 

 ' Le clnltlr' f *^ *^''' „^y^"g- ^^ only 6 to 8 rays in the umbel ; and 



^ The Nimes fpnuAi V C^^^^' ^*'^' ' ^s a salad. ^^„ 



