Anise (/əˈnis/, /ˈænɪs/;[3] Pimpinella anisum), also called aniseed or rarely anix,[4] is a flowering plant in the family Apiaceae native to the eastern Mediterranean region and Southwest Asia.[5]
The flavor and aroma of its seeds have similarities with some other spices, such as star anise,[4] fennel, and liquorice. It is widely cultivated and used to flavor food, candy, and alcoholic drinks, especially around the Mediterranean.
The name “anise” is derived via Old French from the Latin word, anisum, or Greek, anison, referring to dill.[6]
Anise is an herbaceous annual plant growing to 90 cm (3 ft) or more. The leaves at the base of the plant are simple, 10–50 mm (3⁄8–2 in) long and shallowly lobed, while leaves higher on the stems are feathery pinnate, divided into numerous small leaflets. The flowers are either white or yellow, approximately 3 mm (1⁄8 in) in diameter, produced in dense umbels. The fruit is an oblong dry schizocarp, 3–6 mm (1⁄8–1⁄4 in) long, usually called “aniseed”.[7]
Anise is a food plant for the larvae of some Lepidoptera species (butterflies and moths), including the lime-speck pug and wormwood pug.
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