Coriandrum sativum Coriander

An aromatic annual umbellifer with pinnate leaves and white or purple flowers, probably originating from North Africa and southern Asia, but widely inroduced around the world for its use as a culinary herb. It was first recorded wild in Britain in the 18th Century and is sometimes found in waste places, refuse tips and usually in urban locations. It is very frost sensitive so seedling are killed-offl during spring frosts. It is most commonly found naturalised in the south of England and much less frequently recorded in Wales. It is rarely found as a wild plant in West Glamorgan, with just one recent record. It conatins lots of interesting phytochemicals such as flavonoids and phenolic compounds and the seeds are rich in terpinoids (essential oils), particularly the terpene alcohol, linalool. It is the presence of linalool and certain unsaturated aldehydes that give coriander its taste and smell. The aldehydes are responsible for the tangy, citrus-like taste and smell although some people are genetically disposed to find the smell disagreeably metallic or soapy. A number of medicinal properties of Coriander have been reported including its alleged ability to decrease LDL cholesterol and blood pressure. The leaves (often called cilantro) are diuretic and the high flavonoid content is reported to give it significant antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

Neophyte