“138 | ORD. VI. Umbellate. ’ CORYANDRUM SATIVUM. 
styles, bent in opposite directions, and terminated by simple 
stigmata: the fruit is globular, and divisible into two hémispheri- 
cal concave seeds. 
This plant is a native of the South of Europe, — in some 
places it is said to grow in such abundance, as frequently to choke 
the growth of wheat and other grain.” From being cultivated here 
as a medicinal plant, it has for some time become naturalized to 
this country,” where it is usually found in corn fields, the sides of 
roads, and about dunghills. 
Every part of the Mant; when fresh, has a very offensive odour,* 
but upon being dried the seeds have a tolerably grateful smell, and 
their taste is moderately warm, and slightly pungent. “ They give 
out their virtue totally to rectiffed spirit, but only partially to water. 
In distillation with water, they yield a small quantity of a yellowish 
essential es which smells arena ty and pretty agreeably of the 
Coriander.” 
Dioscorides' asserts, that these seeds, when taken in a considerable 
quantity, produce deleterious effects; and in some parts of Spain 
and Egypt, where the fresh herb is eaten as a cordial, imstances of 
fatuity, lethargy, &c. are observed to occur very frequently ;° but 
these qualities seem to have been unjustly ascribed to the Corian- 
' der; and Dr. Withering informs us, that he has “ known six drams 
of the seeds taken at once without any remarkable effect.’ ‘ 
@ See Murray, App. Med. vol. i, p. 278. * See English Botany, p. 67. 
* “ Coriander was probably so called from xoegrs cimex, because the green herb, 
seed and ail, stinks intolerably of bugs.” Alston. Leét. onthe M. M, vol. ti: p. 849. 
« Lewis, M. M. p. 253. 
, * “Silargius sumptum fuerit semen, mentem, non sine pericule, e sua sede & 
statu demovet.” And again, *¢ Coriandrum propter odorem latere non potest : 
epotum vocis raucitatem facit, atque insaniam, qualis ex vinolentia proficiscitur, 
ita ut qui sumpsere varia dicta pudenda blatterant: toto vero corpore coriandri 
odor se prodit.” ZL. 3. c. 71. — © Vide C. Hoffmann. Med. Off. p. 241. 
* Withering, 1. ¢. 
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