Spec. Plant. Willd. i. 1448.

Cl. 5. Ord. 2. Pentandria Digynia. Nat. ord. Umbelliferae.

G. 552. Corolla radiate. Petals inflex-emarginate. Involucre universal one-leafed. The partial ones halved.

1 Thorn, Obs. on the Treatment of Gonorrhoea, etc. Lond. 1827.

Species 1. C. sativum,1 Common Coriander. Med, Bot, 3d. edit.

137. t. 53. Smith, Flor. Brit. 320. Eng. Bot. 67. Officinal. Coriandrum, Lond. Coriandri sativi semina,

Edin. Bub. Coriander seed.

Syn. Coriandre (F.), Koriandor saamen (G.), Koriander (Dutch, Swed. & Dan.), Koryander (Pol), Coriandro (Port.), Coriandro (I.), Semilla de Cilan-tro (S.), Cottamillie ( Tarn.), Mety (Malay), Kezereh (Arab.), Kitnuz (Pers.), D'hanya (H.), D'amyaca (San.).

This plant is an annual, a native of Italy; but is now found wild in some parts of this country 3, owing to the abundant cultivation of it for medicinal purposes. It flowers in June, and ripens its seed in August. The stem is erect, about two feet in height, branching, divaricated, round, smooth, and obscurely striated. The leaves are compound; the lower ones pinnated, with gashed, wedge-shaped, somewhat roundish leaflets, and the upper thrice-ternate, with linear-pointed segments. Both the umbels and umbellules are many-rayed; with an involucre of one linear leaf, and involucels of three lanceolate narrow leaves, all on one side. The flowers are of a white or reddish colour. The calyx consists of five leaves; the petals are five also, oblong, and inflected at the tips, but those of the flowers of the circumference have the outermost petals larger, and not inflected. The fruit is globular, obscurely ribbed, and divisible into two concave hemispherical seeds with large interior vittae; and this form of the fruit distinguishes coriander from all the other species of umbel-liferae. The whole plant, when green, has an abominably foetid odour if bruised, which extends even to the fruit.3

Qualities.-The dried seeds have a grateful aromatic odour, and a moderately warm pungent taste; qualities which depend on an essential oil, that can be obtained separate by the distillation of the seeds with water. Their active principles are completely extracted by alcohol, but only partially by water.

Medical properties and uses.-These seeds are carminative and stomachic. They are sometimes used in flatulencies; but principally to cover the unpleasant taste, and correct the griping quality, of some cathartics. The dose is Э j. to 3 j., bruised.

Officinal preparations.-Aqua Calcis comp. D. Confectio Sennae, L. E. Infusum Senna cum Tamarindis, E. Tinct. Sennae comp. E,