Coriandrum sativum (L) Cultivated Coriander
NOMENCLATURE
Coriandrum : from Greek, _________/__________ from ______ : koris : a bug,
(Theophrastus) & perhaps aniseed, (Pliny), both from the smell.
sativum : cultivated.
OTHER NAMES Coriandre, (France). Coriandorlo, (Italy). Coriandro, (Spain). Koriandre,
(German, Dutch, Danish). Koriandros, (Greek). Kishnets posevnoy. (Russia).
BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION
TYPE : erect foetid annual. Tb.
AROMA : of bed bugs. Mature seeds: orange blossom
STEMS solid, ridged, smooth. HEIGHT : 15—70cm.
UMBELS : Compound.. 1—3cm diameter. Rays 3—5(10), 0.5—1.5 cm. Peduncle >
than rays.. leaf opposed. All a mixture of male and hermaphrodite flowers.
LEAVES: lower 1—3 pinnate, orbicular, long petiol— ate. Segments ovate, 10mm,
cunneate at base, pinnately lobed or incise—serrate, soon wither. Upper, 2—3
pinnate, pinnatifid, narrow lobes.
BRACTS : 0. Bracteoles few, lancolate.
FLOWERS : white, pink/purplish. Calyx teeth acute, unequal, petals: inflexed point,
unequal. outer 2—3mm radiating. Styles form stylopodium. Pollination by
Coleoptaera & Diptera. Fl.6—8.
FRUIT : 2—6mm x 2—5.5mm, hard, red brown. subglobo se, carpels adhere firmly to
each other, not separating at maturity, half terete. Primary ridges low, slender, secondary
broader. Commisure broad. Carpophore present. Vittae obscure, solitary beneath
secondary ridge. Styles slender longer than stylopodium. recurved in fruit. Pedicels of
hermaphrodite flrs 4—5mm, of male firs short. Stigma capitate. Variants with 3
carpels and styles occur. 2n=22.57
HABITAT : waste places. Warm dry, 1ight soil.
DISTRIBUTION: introduced, casual in waste places. Native to N. Africa
S.W.Asia, widespread. Essex, Kent: cultivated.
MEDICINAL USES
ACTIVE INGREDIENTS : Plant: essential oils, coria ndrol, fatty oil, tannin, sugar. Seeds: 0.5% oil.
5% Ash, malic acid, tannin, fatty matter, 1% volatile oil, pale yellow or colourless : alchohol
coriandrol principal constituent. When oil treated with acetic anhydride, it makes Limonene, identical
to licamene, a dextrogyre of linalol.
PARTS : mature fruits.
EFFECT : stimulates stomach, relieves spasms & flatulence, relieves irritation,
expectorant, fungicidal & bactericidal.
APPLICATION : flatulence, diarrhoea, abdominal pains, colic : infusion 1 tspn per cup 2 x day.
Half tspn per cup for children. Lack of appetite, stimulation of stomatich secretions: chew seeds.
Narcotic : Seeds in quantity. Externally for haemorrhoids.
HISTORICAL MEDICINAL USES
Turner, 1551 : "Coriandre layed to wyth breade or barly mele is good for St. Antonyes fire.”
Stimulant, carminative, powdered fruit, fluid extract & oil to disguise flavour of purgatives. Windy
colic : Powdered fruit 10—16 granules. Seed roasted in wine for worms. Leaves boiled with white
bread crumbs as poultice for inflammation on swellings. Vets use it for cattle & horses.
EDIBLE USES
Seeds have sweet aromatic odour with hint of orange peel. Seeds as spice in salads. meat dishes,
‘a la grecque’ dishes. apple dishes, pickling. On continent it spices sausages & bread. Coriander cakes
made. Seeds covered in sugar as children's comfit sweets. Used in all dishes in Peru. Ingredient in
curry powder in East Lucknow curry powder : 1 oz ginger, 1oz coriander seeds, 1oz cardamum
seeds, 1/4 oz cayenne powder, 3 oz tumeric, powder separately, mix well.
Seed oil flavours liquor & gin, vermouth, Chartreuse. & baking.
Young leaves in soups, salads. Used in Moroccan Middle East, Asian & Chinese cooking.
Old Testament, Numbers, Ch. xi. 7 : “. . .manna likened unto Coriander seed.” Leaves used in soups
by ancient Egyptians. Greeks used it as spice. Introduced by Romans to Britain. Cultivated now in
Kent, Essex. Yield: 15 cwt per acre. Sown in Sept in well drained soil. Harvested when unpleasant
smell turns fragrant. Russian & German richest in oil.
OTHER USES
Oil in production of fine perfumes, Eau De Cologne, soap. Longer the seeds are kept,
more fragrant they become. Flavouring taste of medicines.
FOLKLORE
China: believed to posses the power of immortality. Birthday flower for 12 Dec. Symbolises
concealed merit, hidden wealth. Plant of Saturn.
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