Latin name: Pimpinella anisum
Place of origin: Egypt
Description: Anise seeds come from anise plants which have an average height of two and a half feet and grow small white flowers (“Pimpinella anisum”).
Historical medicinal use: Marie de Fouquet lists anise seeds as an ingredient in a drink meant to cure fever in children (Fouquet, 1685).
Modern medicinal use: Although many people continue to consume anise seeds according to traditional medicinal usage, scientists are still in the process of understanding the extent of its effectiveness (“Anise – Uses, Side Effects, and More”).
“Anise – Uses, Side Effects, and More.” WebMD, WebMD, www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-582/anise. Accessed 22 Apr. 2024.
De Fouquet, Marie. Recueil des remèdes faciles et domestiques, choisis et expérimentés, et très approuvés pour toutes sortes de maladies internes et externes, et difficiles à guerir. 1685.
Fuchs, Leonhart. Histoire des plantes. 1549
“Pimpinella Anisum.” North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/pimpinella-anisum/. Accessed 22 Apr. 2024.