Page 56 - Pharmacognosy 02-06203

b. The endosperum: consists of colourless, thick- walled, cellulosic parenchyma
containing much fixed oil globules and numerous aleurone grains, each contains 1 or
2 micro-rosettes of Ca. Ox. Crystals (2-5 um).

c. The embryo: is apical and formed of small, rounded cells filled with fixed oil globules.
N.B. The raphe: is a fine vascular strand, appearing as a band of thick- walled, lignified
cells in the commissural side embedded in the testa.
The carpophore consists chiefly of slender fibers.

Medicinal Fruits belonging to Family Apiaceae
1- Fennel Fruits (Fructus Foeniculi)

Fennel is the dried ripe fruits of Foeniculum vulgare Geographical
distribution:
Fennel fruit is indigenous to the Mediterranean region, cultivated in Europe, Asia and
temperate regions of Africa and South America.
General appearance:
It consists of entire cremocarp with usually free mericarps.
- The fruit 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.
Organoleptic properties:
The fruit has an agreeable characteristic aromatic odour and sweet or aromatic taste
(sweet Fennel or bitter Fennel).
Sweet fennel (dried ripe fruits of Foeniculum vulgare Miller. subsp vulgare var.
dulce(Miller) Thellung.
Bitter fennel (as sweet fennel but subsp. vulgare, var. vulgare. ).

54