Cicely
Sweet Cicely ( Myrrhis odorata )
The Sweet Cicely, also called myrrh chervil ( Myrrhis odorata, syn. Scandix odorata ) is a plant of the family Umbelliferae ( Apiaceae ). She is on the current state ( earlier it was not always so ), the only representative of the so monotypic genus of Süßdolden ( Myrrhis ).
Description
The Sweet Cicely is a 60 to 200 cm tall perennial. It is above downward branches branchy and smells strongly of anise. The leaves suggest very early from after the frost in early spring. They are strikingly large, stalked and pinnate two to three times, they carry large leaf sheaths and are particularly under hand with soft hair. The node and the leaf sheaths are hairy shaggy. The leaf blade is much larger than in the similar cow parsley ( Anthriscus sylvestris) or chervil ( Chaerophyllum ) species.
The umbels 4-24 rays, an envelope is missing, the Hüllchen consists of five to seven leaves, which are almost entirely white-skinned and projecting upright flowering time. The cones are mostly hermaphrodite, partly purely male; the stems of the male cones are then shorter than that of the hermaphrodite and also bald. The Enddolde has mixed hermaphrodite flowers with male, these males are then placed inside. At the later flourishing side umbels are usually only found male flowers (without ovary and without stylus ). The petals are are white, heart-shaped and inverted - emarginate, the outer one of the umbel somewhat larger than the others, therefore, sees the cone of brilliant.
The fruit is 15 to 25 mm long, almost bald, hairy only at the top of something, it's ripe dark brown and shiny as lacquered, she has protruding ribs and a beak. The plant is a frost germinator. The seeds are 2 cm long and dark brown.
The plant flowers from May to July. The chromosome number is 2n = 22
Dissemination
Originally cicely occurs in the Alps before (especially in the Alps), the Pyrenees, the Apennines and on the western Balkan Peninsula as well as in the Caucasus. But it is otherwise often wild and naturalized, even in Chile, so that the original site can not be determined precisely in Europe. The nature rises to about 1900 m in the mountains.
They usually come in rich meadows, pastures, grass gardens, tall herb communities, forest edges, and in riparian forests before with a preference for calcareous subsoil.
System
The plant was first described by Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus, under the name Scandix odorata. The currently valid classification in the genus Myrrhis by the Austrian botanist Giovanni Antonio Scopoli was published in 1771.
The following earlier in the genre of Süßdolden ( Myrrhis ) uncategorized species are currently assigned to other genera:
- Myrrhis claytonii Michx. is now Osmorhiza claytonii ( Michx. ) C.B. Clarke
- Myrrhis longistylis Torr. is now Osmorhiza longistylis ( Torr. ) DC.
Use
The leaves are edible; they can be harvested from early spring to autumn. The seeds are used as a spice; they are harvested in the fall when they have become hard.
All parts cicely have an aniseed-like, sweet flavor. Salads, sauces and fish dishes can be seasoned with the leaves. With the fruits of cabbage dishes and pastries are refined. Substituting the acidic fruits compote, you can reduce the sugar adding significantly. (Important for diabetics) From the roots of vegetables can be prepared. The boiled roots are finely cut, with a vinegar / oil marinade a tasty salad. The Sweet Cicely is part of the Chartreuse and various liqueurs.
The Sweet Cicely is a spice and aromatic plant ( aniseed ), so it is used for potpourris, scented bouquets, scented grass, scented hedges, fragrance garden. But it is also ecologically important as flower nectar plant for butterflies, bees and bumblebees.
As a medicinal herb used in folk medicine as a blood cleanser, further also for coughs and stomach weakness.
Ingredients
The plant contains essential oils, mainly trans-anethole, germacrene, caryophyllene, limonene, myrcene, estragole and flavonoids.