This section is from the book "Plants And Their Uses - An Introduction To Botany", by Frederick Leroy Sargent. Also available from Amazon: Plants And Their Uses; An Introduction To Botany.
Part 54. Savory seeds include cardamoms (Fig. 139), and the so-called "seeds" of caraway (Fig. 140), anise (Fig. 141), star anise (Fig. 142), coriander (Fig. 143), and celery (Fig. 79). Cardamoms are true seeds, while the others mentioned, although commonly spoken of as seeds, are in reality seedlike fruits. Savory seeds differ from spices in being commonly used whole rather than pulverized. They all agree in possessing a strong aromatic flavor which has led to their use in cookery. As with the savory herbs, their flavor depends upon the presence in each of a peculiar volatile oil, anise having 1-3%, cardamoms 4-5%, and caraway 6%.
 
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