FENNEL. 179 



Fmniculum, a genus of umbelliferous plants with finely dissected 

 leaves, no involucres, and yellowish flowers. This genus is 

 distinguished from Anethum, to which it is very closely allied, by 

 the fruits being somewhat compressed from side to side and 

 not from back to front. F. Vulgare, Gsertner (Anethum Fceniculum, 

 Lin.j, the common Fennel, is wild in most parts of Europe except 

 the Xorth and East, is especially common in the Mediterranean 

 region, and extends to Southern Eussia, Asia Minor, Persia and 

 India. In England it is usually found on dry chalky soil, at no 

 great distance from the sea ; it is also found inland in chalky 

 districts, but merely in a semi-wild state except where cultivated 

 as a garden herb. In the wild state, it is variable as to size, habit, 

 shape and cutting of leaf, number of rays in the umbel and shape 

 of fruit, and, as it has also been under cultivation for centuries and 

 for different purposes, there now exist several well-marked 

 varieties. 



The fruits are commonly called "Fennel seeds;" they vary much 

 in length, breadth and other characters, and are of very different 

 commercial value. Fennel fruits are thus described in the British 

 Pharmacopoeia : — " About three lines long and one line broad, 

 elliptical, slightly curved, beaked, having eight pale brown 

 longitudinal ribs, the two lateral being double ; taste and odour 

 aromatic." ATOd fennel fruits are short, dark-coloured, and blunt 

 at their ends, they have a less agreeable flavour and odour than 

 those of sweet fennel. 



The most esteemed fennel fruits vary from three to five lines in 

 length, are somewhat obtuse at the ends, pale greyish green in 

 colour, of very fragrant odour and agreeable aromatic taste. 

 Fennel fruits are frequently distinguished in commerce as shorts 

 and longs, the latter being the most valued. 



Sweet Fennel, also called "Koman Fennel," frequently mis- 

 taken to be Fcemculum dulce, D.C. (which is generally used as a 

 table vegetable), is probably F. Sativum. It is much cultivated 

 in the South of France, especially in the vicinity of Nismes. It is 

 a very vigorous plant, forming 25 to 30 rays to the umbel ; its 

 fruit two-fifths of an inch long, or twice as long as that of the wild 

 plant, it is oblong or obovate oblong in form and often strongly 

 curved, the ribs are wider and more prominent and the vittse 

 smaller. So different do they appear from the common form, that 



