Parsley

Parsley (Petroselinum crispum ), illustration

The parsley (Petroselinum crispum ), in Austria and Bavarians also the parsley, Switzerland Peterli more names Peterle, Peter Ling, Peter Green, or Silk, is a biennial plant of the carrot family ( Apiaceae ) and is growing wild in the Mediterranean area and on the Canaries before. In Europe and around the Mediterranean are the smooth or curly depending on the variety leaves its cultivated forms of the most common kitchen herbs; the extra-large storage root of the variety parsley root (Petroselinum crispum subsp. tuberosum ) is used as a component of greens.

Features

Vegetative characteristics

The parsley is a two year Hemikryptophyt. It has a more or less fleshy root. From this usually arise several barren stalks that erect, terete to slightly grooved, and are often Roehrig. The stalks are like the whole plant glabrous. The parsley reaches stature heights of 30 to 90 ( rarely 100) centimeters. The basal leaves and lower stem leaves are stalked, above the leaves with wide, white, hautrandigen sheaths on the stem are sessile.

The leaves are dark green. The lowest are pinnate two to three times. The thickness taper tip are in outline to broadly ovate, pinnatisect or lobed. They carry a cartilaginous tip and are one to two inches long. In culture forms the leaves are smooth or curly. The curly shapes are in turn divided into production and seed trade in three groups: coarse to medium fine curled ( curled = type perlé = pearled ), type Paramount, finely curled up very finely (extra curled = double / triple curled ), type Mooskrause and Farnblättrige parsley (remote leafed ). The strength of this Blattkräuselung is rated on a scale of 1-9 as low to very strong.

The chromosome number is 2n = 22

Flowers and Fruit

The cones are long stalks and have eight to 20 rays. The umbel rays are all about the same length. The one to three bracts are lanceolate to subulate. The six to eight Hüllchenblätter are linear to subulate and about half as long as the pedicels. The petals are greenish yellow, often reddish crowded and about 0.6 millimeters long. The hermaphrodite flowers are protandrous and are pollinated by insects ( Diptera, Hymenoptera ).

The fruits are 2.5 to three millimeters in height and 1.5 to two millimeters wide. Their shape is broadly ovate. Between the main ribs they are dark brown, the main ribs themselves are bright yellow, very thin and are well ahead.

Ingredients

Leaves and roots have the same ingredients: The main components of the essential oil are myristicin, limonene and 1,3,8 -p- menthatriene. In smaller amounts, other mono-and sesquiterpenes occur.

This fruit prevail either myristicin with 60 to 80% before or - in the smooth parsley - Apiol. There is also a chemical race with tetramethoxy as the main constituent of the essential oil.

The parsley was eponymous for the occurring in the seeds of umbelliferous fatty acid " petroselinic acid", an isomer of oleic acid.

In addition to the essential oil, the parsley contains very small amounts polyynes as well as in the root of the furanocoumarins bergapten and isoimperatorin have been found.

Pharmacology

As a medicinal drug and the dried ripe fruits are used Petroselini fructus and the fresh whole plant Petroselinum (HAB ).

The essential oil causes a vigorous diuresis mainly by the irritant effect of phenylpropanoids on the renal parenchyma. In higher doses, however, the Apiol produces an increased contractility of smooth muscles of intestines, bladder and especially the uterus.

Dissemination

The parsley is a cultivated plant, home of the unknown tribe clan is suspected in the eastern Mediterranean to West Asia.

In Central Europe to build them in gardens; very rarely do they run wild. She prefers fresh and nutrient-rich loamy soil.

System

There are two clans, usually performed as a subspecies, differentiated:

• Leaf Parsley (Petroselinum crispum subsp. Crispum )
• Hamburg parsley (Petroselinum crispum subsp. Tuberosum ( Rchb. ) Soó )

History

The parsley was considered in ancient Greece as a sacred plant, but not clearly distinguished from the celery. It is considered in the Odyssey as an ornament of the island of the nymph Calypso. Wreaths of parsley were given to the winners of the Isthmian and Nemean games. The oldest written reference is found on a document on Mycenaean Greek Linear B as a se -ri -no, in the ancient world was still the petro - for " stone " is prefixed.

Only in the Middle Ages, the plant was first cultivated as a medicinal herb in monasteries and subsequently used in the kitchen in Central Europe. To avoid confusion with the poisonous, but similar looking dog parsley, varieties were bred with curly leaves. In the Middle Ages it was feared that parsley is bad luck. The long duration of germination of the plants was taken as a reason for the statement that parsley must go to the devil seven times before they germinate. In the 19th century the name " Parselkraut " common, but is now almost extinct.

Trivial names

For the parsley or were, sometimes only regionally, including the names Beterli, Federsielli ( Old High German ), rock Wurz ( Middle High German ), Gartenäppich, Krause and sizing herb parsley, Kräutel ( Tyrol Brixen ), Krull parsley, Paiterling (Bavaria), Pautersillle ( calibration field ), Pedarsilli ( Old High German ), Peiterzilk ( Pomerania ), Perlin, Peterkin, Peterlein, Petercelie ( middle High German ), Petercile ( middle High German ), parsley ( Grisons, Bern, Zurich, St. Gallen), Peterlin, Peter Ling, parsley, Petersilge ( middle High German ), Peter Ilgen ( middle High German ), Petersile ( Old High German ), parsley, Parsley root, Petersiligen, Petersille ( Old High German ), Peter Illige ( middle High German ), Petirsil ( Old High German ), Petrosil ( Old High German ), Pitterseltch ( Transylvania), Silk ( Bremen, low German ) and parsley root in use.

Use

The leaves of parsley are often used raw or briefly heated as a seasoning herb, otherwise they lose their characteristic flavor, and represent an integral part of various Mediterranean cuisines

As part of bouquet garni of parsley French cuisine is not only mitgegart short, but added already at the beginning of the cooking time, they are then broths and sauces a spicy flavor base.

Also in the kitchen of West Asia is the parsley frequently to find, so be garnished nearly all cold dishes and roast meat with chopped parsley, for example, in Turkish cuisine.

When tabbouleh, a salad of Lebanese cuisine, parsley is next to mint and wheat flour, the main ingredient. Also in the Caucasus, on the Arabian Peninsula and Iran parsley is often used.

Parsley is also a part of the green sauce, according to both the Frankfurt and Kassel recipe, a typical dish of the German regional cuisine, which enjoys great popularity especially in the Hessian room.

Parsley is also made into soup. The parsley is to boiled and mashed in vegetable broth.