10 ILLICIUM ANISATUM 



dried state, as seen in commerce, it is composed of generally 8, or 

 rarely 9 or more carpels, which are arranged nearly horizontally 

 in a single row, and diverging from one another from the short 

 central column, to which they are attached, in a star-like manner. 

 This rcentral column is commonly placed upon a short, more or less 

 oblique stalk or pedicel. Each carpel is boat-shaped, more or less 

 beaked at its apex, irregularly wrinkled below, of a rusty or 

 reddish-brown colour, and commonly split open on its upper 

 margin, so as to expose the solitary seed which it contains. The 

 seed is nearly oval in shape, oblique at the base, somewhat 

 compressed, smooth and shining, and of a brownish-red colour. 

 Star-anise has a pleasant aromatic odour and taste, resembling 

 a mixture of fennel and anise. Fliickiger and Hanbury state 

 that the seeds are not aromatic, but this does not accord with our 

 experience, for we find them distinctly so in commercial speci- 

 mens. Star-anise is imported into Europe, the United States, and 

 India, from China. Formerly it was brought to Europe by way of 

 Russia, and hence the names by which it was then designated, 

 Cardamomum Siberiense and Anis de Siberie. 



2. OLEUM ANISI. Oil of Anise. In the British and Indian 

 Pharmacopoeias, as above noticed, oil of anise is directed to be 

 obtained from the fruit of the plant now under notice, and from the 

 fruit of Pimpinella Anisum ; while in the United States Pharma- 

 copoeia the oil from the latter plant is alone official. Oil of Star- 

 Anise is sometimes known as Oleum Badiani. It is imported from 

 China. The amount of volatile oil which may be obtained from 

 star-anise has been variously stated at from 2 '8 to 5 per cent. ; the 

 average quantity being probably about 4 per cent. In its general 

 characters and composition it closely resembles the oil of anise 

 obtained from the fruit of Pimpinella Anisum ; indeed, Fliickiger 

 and Hanbury say, " We are unable to give characters by which 

 they can be discriminated, although they are distinguished by 

 dealers." Oil of Star-anise is now largely used in this country 

 in place of the European oil of anise, and in the United States of 

 America, although not official, as already mentioned, it is said to 

 have almost entirely -superseded the latter oil, to which it is by 



