Page 12 - Pharmacognosy-II (06-PG 303)

1- Fennel fruits (Fructus Foeniculi)

Fennel is the dried ripe fruits of Foeniculum vulgare Family
Umbelliferae.

Macroscopic characters :

It consists of entire cremocarp, it is oval oblong, 3.5-10.0 mm long, 1-
3 mm wide, greenish, yellowish green to yellowish brown, often with pedicel
2-10 mm long and glabrous.

- Mericarps are elliptical, tapering slightly towards both ends, 5-sided
with broad commissural side.

- Each mericarp is crowned with a short conical stylopod and bears five
paler prominent primary ridges.

- The commissural surface is flat and shows two dark brownish areas
over the vittae. The fruit has an agreeable characteristic aromatic odour
and sweet or aromatic taste.

N.B. : Fennel fruits should contain not more than 1.5% of attached stalks and
other foreign organic matters and not less than 1.4% v/w essential oil.

Cremocarp Mericarp Longitudinal cut
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