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FENNEL.— FCENICULUM. 



Natural order, Umbellatce. A genus of the 

 Pentandria Digynia class. Linnaus has 

 joined this genus to Anethum or DHL 



" Sylvanus comes with rustic honours crown'd, 

 Fennel and lilies do his brows surround." 



Virgil. 



Foeniculum, Metpa&fpv, seems to be derived 

 from f allium, hay ; because, when withered 

 and dried like hay, it was formerly preserved 

 in like manner against winter. Others think 

 it was so called because when sown it returns 

 the seed magno cum fanore, with vast in- 

 terest. Marathrum, Ma'paS^or, is by some 

 derived from ^.aja/Vo^a/, to wither, because, 

 when dry and withered, it was much used in 

 seasoning a great variety of things. 



The French writers on herbs state, that this 

 plant was originally brought from Syria ; but 

 the English botanists consider it a native of 

 this country. 



