Alexanders (Smyrnium olusatrum) is a plant of the family Umbelliferae. A native of Britain, Alexanders was once cultivated for its leaf-stalks, which, having a pleasant aromatic flavour, were blanched and used instead of celery - a vegetable that has taken its place. Research Alexanders
Aniseed or anise (Pimpinella anisum) is an annual herb of the family Umbelliferae, native to the eastern Mediterranean region, with an erect, branched, ribbed stem, which bears long-stalked, lobed, cordate and coarsely toothed lower leaves and finely divided, feathery, ternate or pinnate upper leaves. The flowers are small, white in colour and arranged in compound umbels. The fruit is a ribbed, roundish double achene. Aniseed was first cultivated and used as a spice by the ancient Egyptians and later by the Greeks and Romans. Research Aniseed
Burnet saxifrage (Pimpinella saxifraga) is a perennialherb of the family Umbelliferae, native to Britain and Europe, with a spindle-shaped tap root and an erect, finely ribbed and usually downy stem which is branched above. The basal leaves are odd pinnate. The stem leaves have sheath-like stalks and more divided, linear leaflets. The flowers are small, white in colour and arranged in terminal umbels. The fruit is an ovoid, compressed, double achene with five slender ribs. Research Burnet Saxifrage
Caraway (Carum carvi) is a biennial or perennialherb of the family Umbelliferae. It has a spindle-like tap root, finely divided feathery leaves which are two or three times pinnate, and erect branched furrowed stems terminated by compound umbels of white or rose-tinted, deeply notched flowers. The fruit is a rectangular, ribbed achene with two crescent-shaped seeds. Caraway grows throughout Europe and Asia in grassy, sunny locations, especially mountains up to an altitude of 2000 metres. Research Caraway
In botany, a carpophore is a continuation of the flower-stalk, which passes in certain flowers, notably those of the family Umbelliferae, between the carpels, until it reaches their highest points. Often when the carpels are ripe, and separate from one another, they remain attached to the carpophore at its summit. Research Carpophore
The carrot (Daucus Carota) is a biennialvegetable of the family Umbelliferae. It is a native of Britain and Europe and has tripinnate leaves of a feathery appearance. The plant rises to a height of some 60 centimetres and produces white flowers. The root is strong-flavoured and tapering. In the wild carrot the root is white, but in the cultivated variety it is orange in colour. Originally the carrot was cultivated as a food for cattle, it is now widely eaten by people. Carrots contain a large proportion of saccharine matter, and attempts were made in the past to extract sugar from them. They have been also employed in distillation: 10 lbs weight of carrots will yield about half a pint of very strong ardent spirit. Research Carrot
Celery (Apium graveolens) is a biennialvegetable of the family Umbelliferae indigenous to the ditches and marshy places near the sea-coast in England and Ireland, and elsewhere in Europe, and long cultivated in gardens as a salad and culinary vegetable. There are two varieties in cultivation: red and white stalked, and of these many sub-varieties. Celery is commonly blanched by heaping up the soil about the plants. Research Celery
Chervil is the name of any of several plants of the carrot family (family Umbelliferae). The garden chervil (Anthriscus cerefolium) has leaves with a sweetish odour, resembling parsley. It is used as a garnish and in soups. Chervil originated on the borders of Europe and Asia and was introduced to Western Europe by the Romans. Research Chervil
Cowbane (Cicuta virosa) or water hemlock as it is also known, is a very poisonous perennialherb of the family Umbelliferae with a hollow, rigid, furrowed stem which is tuberous and horizontally chambered at the base. The basal leaves are long-stalked, bi- or tripinnate with lanceolate, sharply serrated segments. The stalk leaves have sheath-like stalks clasping the stem. The small white flowers are arranged in a compoundumbel. The fruit is a curved, ribbed double achene. Cowbane grows in shallow water marshes, ditches and similar moist locations throughout northern and Central Europe and some parts of Britain. Research Cowbane
Dorema is a genus of plants of the family Umbelliferae. Dorema ammoniacum, ain Iraqi species, yields the ammoniacum of commerce, a milky juice that exudes from punctures on the stem and dries in little 'tears.' Research Dorema
The Probert Encyclopaedia was designed, edited and programed by
Matt and Leela Probert
Abbreviations
Research Alexanders
