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Fennel

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Food and agriculture;
Plants

                    iFennel
   Fennel in flower
   Fennel in flower
           Scientific classification

   Kingdom:  Plantae
   Division: Magnoliophyta
   Class:    Magnoliopsida
   Order:    Apiales
   Family:   Apiaceae
   Genus:    [Foeniculum]
   Species:  F. vulgare

                                Binomial name

   Foeniculum vulgare
   Mill.

   Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) is a species in the genus Foeniculum
   (treated as the sole species by many botanists), and is native to
   southern Europe (especially the Mediterranean) and southwestern Asia.
   It is a member of the family Apiaceae, formerly the Umbelliferae.

   It is a highly aromatic perennial herb, erect, glaucous green, and
   grows to 2 m tall. The leaves grow up to 40 cm long; they are finely
   dissected, with the ultimate segments filiform, about 0.5 mm wide. The
   flowers are produced in terminal compound umbels 5–15 cm wide, each
   umbel section with 20–50 tiny yellow flowers on short pedicels. The
   fruit is a dry seed from 4–9 mm long, half as wide or less, and
   grooved.

   Fennel is used as a food plant by the larvae of some Lepidoptera
   species including the Mouse Moth and the Anise Swallowtail.

Cultivation and uses

   Fennel is widely cultivated both in its native range and elsewhere of
   for its edible, strongly flavoured leaves and seeds. The flavour is
   similar to that of anise and star anise, though usually not so strong.

   The Florence fennel (F. vulgare Azoricum Group) is a selection with
   inflated leaf bases which form a sort of bulb. It comes mainly from
   India and Egypt and it has a mild anise-like flavour, but is more
   aromatic and sweeter. Its flavour comes from anethole, an aromatic
   compound also found in anise and star anise. Florence fennel is smaller
   than the wild type and has inflated leaf bases which are eaten as a
   vegetable, both raw and cooked. There are several cultivars of Florence
   fennel, which is also known by several other names, notably the Italian
   name finocchio. In North American supermarkets, it is often mislabeled
   as "anise".

   Fennel has become naturalised along roadsides, in pastures, and in
   other open sites in many regions, including northern Europe, Cyprus,
   the United States, southern Canada and in much of Asia and Australia.
   It is propagated by seed, and is considered to be a weed in Australia
   and the United States.

   Florence fennel was one of the three main herbs used in the preparation
   of Absinthe, an alcoholic mixture which originated as a medicinal
   elixir in Switzerland and became, by the late 1800s, a popular drink
   believed by many to have psychoactive properties beyond those found in
   other alcoholic beverages. Due to these beliefs, Absinthe was banned in
   most countries by the 1940s, but a recent relaxation of laws governing
   its production, importation and sale has caused a moderate resurgence
   in consumption. Many modern preparations marketed under the name
   "Absinthe" do not, however, make use of fennel as did the traditional
   recipes.

Culinary uses

   Fennel, from Koehler's Medicinal-plants (1887)
   Enlarge
   Fennel, from Koehler's Medicinal-plants (1887)

   The bulb, foliage, and seeds of the fennel plant all have secure places
   in the culinary traditions of the world. Fennel pollen is the most
   potent form of fennel, but it is exceedingly expensive. Dried fennel
   seed is an aromatic, anise-flavoured spice; they are brown or green in
   colour when fresh, and slowly turn a dull grey as the seed ages. For
   cooking, green seeds are optimal.

   Fennel seeds are sometimes confused with aniseed, which is very similar
   in taste and appearance, though smaller. Indians often chew fennel seed
   (or saunf) as a mouth-freshener. Fennel is also used as a flavouring in
   some natural toothpastes. Some people employ it as a diuretic, while
   others use it to improve the milk supply of breastfeeding mothers.

   Many cultures in the Indian subcontinent and the Middle East
   incorporate fennel seed into their culinary traditions. It is an
   essential ingredient in the Bengali spice mixture panch phoron and in
   Chinese five-spice powders. It is known as saunf or moti saunf in Hindi
   and Urdu, mouri in Bengali, and shombu in the Tamil language. In the
   west, fennel seed is a very common ingredient in Italian sausages and
   northern European rye breads.

   Many egg, fish, and other dishes employ fresh or dried fennel leaves.
   Florence fennel is a key ingredient in some Italian and German salads,
   often tossed with chicory and avocado, or it can be braised and served
   as a warm side dish. One may also blanch and/or marinate the leaves, or
   cook them in risotto. In all cases, the leaves lend their
   characteristically mild, anise-like flavour.

Medicinal uses

   Essential oil of Fennel is included in some pharmacopoeias. It is
   traditionally used in drugs to treat chills and stomach problems.

Perfumery

   Fennel essential oil is used in soaps, and some perfumes.

Etymology and history

   Etymologically, the word fennel developed from Middle English fenel,
   fenyl; Anglo-Saxon fenol, finol, from Latin feniculum, fœniculum,
   diminutive of fenum, fœnum, "hay".

   In Ancient Greek, fennel was called μάραθον, marathon, and is attested
   in Linear B tablets as ma-ra-tu-wo. This is the origin of the placename
   Marathon (meaning place of fennel), site of the Battle of Marathon in
   490 BC. Greek mythology claims Prometheus used the stalk of a fennel
   plant to steal fire from the gods.

   In medieval times fennel was used in conjunction with St John's wort to
   keep away witchcraft and other evil things. This might have originated
   because fennel can be used as an insect repellent.

   Fennel is thought to be one of the nine herbs held sacred by the
   Anglo-Saxons. The other eight are not entirely certain, but were
   probably mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris), greater plantain (Plantago
   major), watercress (Nasturtium officinale), wild chamomile (Matricaria
   recutita), stinging nettle (Urtica dioica), crab apple (Malus
   sylvestris), chervil (Anthriscus cerefolium), and viper's bugloss
   (Echium vulgare).

Pharmacological action

   Fennel contains Anethole, an antispasmatic, alongside other
   pharmacologically active substances.

                              Herbs and spices
     Herbs Basil · Bay leaf · Boldo · Borage · Chervil · Chives ·
        Coriander leaf (cilantro) · Curry leaf · Dill · Epazote ·
   Eryngium foetidum (long coriander) · Fennel · Holy basil · Houttuynia
                    cordata · Lavender · Lemon grass ·
   Limnophila aromatica (rice paddy herb) · Lovage · Marjoram · Mint ·
Oregano · Parsley · Perilla · Rosemary · Rue · Sage · Savory · Sorrel ·
        Stevia · Tarragon · Thyme · Vietnamese coriander (rau ram)
    Spices African pepper · Ajwain (bishop's weed) · Allspice · Amchur
  (mango powder) · Anise · Asafoetida · Caraway · Cardamom · Cardamom,
  black · Cassia · Celery seed · Chili · Cinnamon · Clove · Coriander
     seed · Cubeb · Cumin · Cumin, black · Dill seed · Fenugreek ·
 Galangal · Garlic · Ginger · Grains of paradise · Horseradish · Juniper
 berry · Liquorice · Mace · Mahlab · Mustard, black · Mustard, white ·
 Nigella (kalonji) · Nutmeg · Paprika · Pepper, black · Pepper, green ·
    Pepper, pink · Pepper, white · Pomegranate seed (anardana) · Poppy
 seed · Saffron · Sarsaparilla · Sassafras · Sesame · Sichuan pepper ·
      Star anise · Sumac · Tamarind · Turmeric · Wasabi · Zedoary

   Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fennel"
   This reference article is mainly selected from the English Wikipedia
   with only minor checks and changes (see www.wikipedia.org for details
   of authors and sources) and is available under the GNU Free
   Documentation License. See also our Disclaimer.
