Caraway

A common plant of fields and meadows from 2000 to 3500 m in the Himala¬yas. The fruits called ‘Caraway Seed’ are aromatic and contain volatile oil, the principal constituent being carvone. They are used as an aromatic carminative and as a flavouring in confectionery.

Plants 15–70(–150) cm tall. Taproot cylindrical, to 25 cm. Stems solitary, rarely 2–8, base without remnant sheaths. Basal and lower leaves oblong-lanceolate in outline, 2–3-pinnate; ultimate segments linear or linear-lanceolate, 3–5 × 1–2 mm. Leaves reduced upwards. Umbels 2.5–6 cm across; bracts absent or occasionally 1–4, linear, 4–11 mm, entire; rays 3–10, 0.6–4 cm, extremely unequal; bracteoles absent; umbellules 4–15-flowered. Calyx teeth obsolete. Petals white or pinkish, base not clawed. Fruit oblong-ellipsoid, 3–5 × 1–2 mm; vittae 1 in each furrow, 2 on commissure. Fl. May–Jul, fr. Jul–Sep. 2n = 20.

Perennial, up to 70 cm tall, branched, glabrous. Root fusiform, elongated. Leaves bipinnatisect; segments filiform to lanceolate or oval, lower leaves petio¬late, upper sessile; bases sheathing; sheath margin white, membranous. Involucre of 1-5 linear bracts or lacking. Rays 5-9, unequal. Involucel of minute bractlets or lacking. Flowers white or rose coloured. Calyx teeth obscure. Fruit pedicels very unequal. Fruit ovoid to oblong, yellowish brown, 3-4 mm long; ridges prominent, obtuse; furrows 1-vittate; commissure 2-vittate.

Karakorum, Himalaya (Kashmir to Bhutan), Tibet, and generally very widely distributed in temperate regions as a result of cultivation ('Caraway').

Gansu, Hebei, Henan, Jilin, Liaoning, Nei Mongol, Qinghai, Shaanxi, Shandong, Sichuan, Xinjiang, Xizang, Yunnan [widespread in Asia, Europe, and the Mediterranean region; introduced elsewhere].

Distribution: Europe, North Africa, Middle East, Central Asia, Afghanistan, Himalayas in India and W. Pakistan.

2500-5100 m

Forests, brushy alpine meadows, riparian grasslands, ruderal areas; 1500–4300 m.