Apiaceae

Anethum L.

First published in Sp. Pl.: 263 (1753)
This genus is accepted
The native range of this genus is Sahara to India.

Descriptions

Ghazanfar, S. A. & Edmondson, J. R (Eds). (2014) Flora of Iraq, Volume 5 Part 2: Lythraceae to Campanulaceae.

Morphology General Habit
Tall annual herb with pinnately decomposite leaves
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Involucre
Involucre and involucral bracts absent
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence hermaphrodite or commonly polygamous Umbels compound
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers yellow
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals suborbicular, truncate and emarginate above with an incurved acumen
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx obsolete
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit ellipsoid, much compressed dorsally Mericarps with intermediate ribs filiform, prominent, laterals winged, contiguous and forming a broad margin to the fruit
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits Vittae
Vittae solitary in valleculae, very broad
Disc
Disk flattened but small, margins undulate
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Stylopodium
Stylopodia prominent, conical-Carpophore bipartite
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds Endosperm
Endosperm with the commissural face flattened.
Note
Anethum (the Latin name for A. graveolens).
[FIQ]

Umbelliferae, J. F. M. Cannon. Flora Zambesiaca 4. 1978

Morphology General Habit
Annual herbs with compound pinnate leaves and filiform ultimate segments.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Umbels compound, bracts and bracteoles obsolete.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Sepals absent, petals yellow, with strongly incurved apices.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit elliptical, strongly dorsiventrally compressed, with some development of lateral wings.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits Vittae
Vittae solitary in the furrows.
[FZ]

M. Thulin et al. Flora of Somalia Vol. 1-4 [updated 2008] https://plants.jstor.org/collection/FLOS

Morphology General Habit
Aromatic glabrous annual Plant polygamous
Morphology Leaves
Leaves 3–4-pinnate, dissected into filiform segments
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Umbels compound, leaf-opposed; involucre and involucel absent
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx-lobes absent
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals yellow, strongly incurved at the tip and emarginate
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruits elliptic-oblong, strongly dorsally compressed, the mericarps not narrowed to the broad commissure; primary ribs conspicuous, the 3 dorsal filiform, the 2 lateral expanded into a rather thick wing-like margin; vittae dark, 1 in each groove and 2 in each commissural face; stylopodia shortly conical.
Distribution
Two species only, but one is widespread in cultivation as a spice or condiment.
[FSOM]

Umbelliferae, C.C. Townsend. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1989

Morphology General Habit
Glabrous, aromatic annual
Morphology Leaves
Leaves 3–4-pinnate, continually dissected into fine filiform segments
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Umbels compound, numerous, leaf-opposed; involucre and involucel none
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers polygamous
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx-teeth absent
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals yellow, strongly incurved at the tip and emarginate
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit elliptic-oblong, strongly dorsally compressed, the mericarps not narrowed to the broad commissure; primary ribs pale, conspicuous, the 3 dorsal filiform, the 2 laterals expanded into a rather thick wing-like margin; valleculae each with a single dark vitta, commissure bivittate; stylopodia shortly conical; carpophore deeply bifid
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Endosperm depressed-pentagonal, somewhat sulcate below the vittae.
[FTEA]

Sources

  • Flora Zambesiaca

    • Flora Zambesiaca
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of Iraq

    • Ghazanfar, S. A., Edmondson, J. R. (Eds). (2013-2019). Flora of Iraq, Volumes 5.1, 5.2 and 6.0. Kew Publishing
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of Somalia

    • Flora of Somalia
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of Tropical East Africa

    • Flora of Tropical East Africa
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • 'The Herbarium Catalogue, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet http://www.kew.org/herbcat [accessed on Day Month Year]'. Please enter the date on which you consulted the system.

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2025. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2025. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0