Scottish Licorice-Root (Ligusticum scoticum)
Description
Ligusticum scoticum is a herbaceous perennial plant which typically grows 15-60 centimetres (6-24 in) tall. It has triangular, twice-ternate leaves, 5-20 cm (2.0-7.9 in) long, with each lobe 2-5 cm (0.8-2.0 in) long. The edges of the leaves may be toothed, lobed or serrated, and are typically either a paler green or magenta. The stem branches infrequently, and bears 2-5 inflorescences, each of which is a compound umbel 4-6 cm (1.6-2.4 in) in diameter. There are typically 8-12 rays in both the primary and secondary umbels. Each individual flower is around 2 mm (0.08 in) in diameter and greenish-white in colour.The fruit are 4-6 mm (0.16-0.24 in) long, with five prominent ridges on each carpel. Ligusticum scoticum tastes and smells like parsleyor celery, and was formerly widely eaten in western Britain, both for nutrition and to combat scurvy.
Taxonomic tree
-
Domain: Eukarya
-
-
Kingdom: Plantae
-
-
Phylum: Magnoliophyta
-
-
Class: Magnoliopsida
-
-
Order: Apiales
-
-
Family: Apiaceae
-
-
Genus: Ligusticum
-
-
-
-
-
-
