Foeniculum
(the old Latin name). ORD. Umbelliferoe. A genus containing three or four species of hardy biennial or perennial, often tall herbs. Flowers yellow, in compound umbels, without involucres; petals entire, inflected at the top, but not pointed. Fruit oval. Leaves pinnate, decompound, finely dissected. For culture, see Fennel.
F. dulce (sweet).* This is considered by some authorities to be but a variety of F. vulgare. It differs, however, in the plant being smaller; in the stem being compressed, not round, at the base; in the smaller number of rays to the umbel, &c. It is cultivated in this country as a pot herb. Biennial. F. officinale (officinal). A synonym of F. vulgare.
F. vulgare (common).* Common Fennel. fl. yellow, in rather large umbels. Late summer and autumn. l. three or four times pinnate, with very narrow, linear or subulate segments. Stems erect, branched. South Europe; occurring in many parts of Britain. Perennial. SYN. F. officinale. (Sy. En. B. 601.)