Coriander.

Botanical name: 

Coriandrum.

A SMALL plant, cultivated in France and German, for the sake of its seed. It is two feet high, and has clusters of white or reddish flowers upon the tops of the branches. The stalks are round, upright, and hollow, but have a pith in them; the leaves, which grow from the root, have rounded tops, those on the stalks are divided into narrow parts; the seeds follow two after each flower, and they are half round.

The seed is the only part used: the whole plant when fresh has a bad smell, but as the seeds dry, they become sweet and fragrant. They are excellent to dispel wind; they warm and strengthen the stomach and assist digestion. It is good against pains in the head, and has some virtue in stopping purgings, joined with other things.


The Family Herbal, 1812, was written by John Hill.