Anise Seed - Pimpinella anisum, schweinfurthii

Anise Seed

Latin (Botanical) name: Pimpinella anisum L., Pimpinella schweinfurthii Asch, Anisum vulgare, Anisum officinarum.

Family: Umbelliferae, Apiaceae (Carrot family).

Common name: Anise seed, Aniseed, Sweet cumin, Petit anis , Anisum, Anis vert, Boucage anis, Anisi fructus, Yansoon, Aysoon.

Origin: Egypt

Plant description:

UMBELLIFERAE A. Juss. Not spiny. Umbel-rays not woolly. Leafy herbs, root not globose. Bracteoles absent. Flowers white. Fruit hairy. At least lower leaves with broad leaf-segments or leaflets. PIMPINELLA: Leaves pinnate or once to twice 3-parted, lower ones with broad leaflets. Bracts and bracteoles absent. Fruits small, rounded or ovoid, hairy.

Segments of upper leaves broad, cuneate-abovate PIMPINELLA SCHWEINFURTHII Asch. : Slender delicate plant with all leaf segments broad. Umbel-rays pubescent (in others glabrous or nearly so). Endemic. Sterile specimens remind of Apium graveolens, however lacking the characteristic odour of that species and with leaflets more finely and sharply serrated (in Apium coarsely crenate serrate).

Pimpinella anisum L.

Syn. Anisum vulgare.

Syn. Anisum officinarum.

Source: STUDENTS’ FLORA OF EGYPT second edition, by VIVI TÄCKHOLM, D. Sc. (Stockholm) Professor of Systematic Botany, Faculty of Science, Cairo University. Published by Cairo University. Printed by COOPERATIVE PRINTING COMPANY Beirut, 1974.

Propagation: Fruits (seeds), annual plant cultivated in Upper Egypt.

Forms and extraction:

1. Anise seed whole.

2. Anise seed ground.

3. Anise seed essential (volatile) oil, Egyptian crop and yield (extraction). Steam distilled.

4. Anise seed fluid (liquid) and tincture extract. 8-2, 98% alcohol (Ethyl alcohol absolute). Filtered by filter paper.

5. Anise seed floral water.

Similar species:

Ammi majus L. ~ Common name: Bishop’s weed, Atrillal, Khillah shaytani.

Ammi visnaga (L.) Lam ~ Common name: Pick-tooth, Toothpick, Khillah baladi.

Last Update October 17^th, 2002.

Species List