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Illicium

 
Illicium

 
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Illicium
 
 
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This page is about the genus of plants. Illicium is also a term for the modified first dorsal fin ray of angler fishes, used to attract prey.


Illicium (Anise-tree, Anise tree) is a genus
Genus

A genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the classification of living and fossil organisms. The taxonomic ranks are domain , kingdom , phylum, class , order , family , genus, and species....
 of flowering plant
Flowering plant

The flowering plants or angiosperms are the most widespread group of Embryophytes. The flowering plants and the gymnosperms are the only extant groups of Spermatophyte....
s containing 42 species
Species

In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring....
 of evergreen shrub
Shrub

A shrub or bush is a horticulture rather than strictly Botany category of woody plant, distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and lower height, usually less than 5-6 m tall....
s and small tree
TREE

TREE was a Boston hardcore punk band formed in the summer of 1990. They were active in the Boston music scene until disbanding in 2002....
s, and is the sole genus in family Illiciaceae
Illiciaceae

Illiciaceae is the botanical name of a family of flowering plants. The family has been recognized by most taxonomists, at least for the past several decades....
. The species are native to the tropical and subtropical regions of eastern and southeastern Asia
Asia

Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent. It covers 8.6% of the Earth's total surface area and, with over 4 billion people, it contains more than 60% of the world's current human population....
, southeastern North America
North America

North America is the northern continent of the Americas, situated in the Earth's northern hemisphere and almost totally in the western hemisphere....
, and the West Indies.

Selected species

fruits of Illicium verum are known as star anise
Star anise

Star anise, star aniseed, badiane or Chinese star anise, is a spice that closely resembles anise in flavor, obtained from the star-shaped fruit of Illicium verum, a small native evergreen tree of southwest China....
, and are used as a seasoning in Chinese and southeast-Asian cooking.






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Encyclopedia


This page is about the genus of plants. Illicium is also a term for the modified first dorsal fin ray of angler fishes, used to attract prey.


Illicium (Anise-tree, Anise tree) is a genus
Genus

A genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the classification of living and fossil organisms. The taxonomic ranks are domain , kingdom , phylum, class , order , family , genus, and species....
 of flowering plant
Flowering plant

The flowering plants or angiosperms are the most widespread group of Embryophytes. The flowering plants and the gymnosperms are the only extant groups of Spermatophyte....
s containing 42 species
Species

In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring....
 of evergreen shrub
Shrub

A shrub or bush is a horticulture rather than strictly Botany category of woody plant, distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and lower height, usually less than 5-6 m tall....
s and small tree
TREE

TREE was a Boston hardcore punk band formed in the summer of 1990. They were active in the Boston music scene until disbanding in 2002....
s, and is the sole genus in family Illiciaceae
Illiciaceae

Illiciaceae is the botanical name of a family of flowering plants. The family has been recognized by most taxonomists, at least for the past several decades....
. The species are native to the tropical and subtropical regions of eastern and southeastern Asia
Asia

Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent. It covers 8.6% of the Earth's total surface area and, with over 4 billion people, it contains more than 60% of the world's current human population....
, southeastern North America
North America

North America is the northern continent of the Americas, situated in the Earth's northern hemisphere and almost totally in the western hemisphere....
, and the West Indies.

Selected species
  • Illicium anisatum
    Japanese star anise

    The Japanese star anise is a tree similar to star anise. It is highly toxic, therefore it is not edible; instead, it has been burned as incense in Japan, where it is known as shikimi....
     (Japanese Star Anise). Southern Japan
    Japan

    Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, People's Republic of China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south....
    , Taiwan
    Taiwan

    Taiwan is an island in East Asia. "Taiwan" is also commonly used to refer to the country governed by the Republic of China and to the ROC itself, which governs the island of Taiwan, Orchid Island and Green Island, Taiwan in the Pacific Ocean off the Taiwan coast, the Penghu islands in the Taiwan Strait, and Kinmen and the Matsu Islands...
    .
  • Illicium arborescens. Taiwan
    Taiwan

    Taiwan is an island in East Asia. "Taiwan" is also commonly used to refer to the country governed by the Republic of China and to the ROC itself, which governs the island of Taiwan, Orchid Island and Green Island, Taiwan in the Pacific Ocean off the Taiwan coast, the Penghu islands in the Taiwan Strait, and Kinmen and the Matsu Islands...
    .
  • Illicium floridanum
    Illicium floridanum

    Illicium floridanum is an evergreen shrub native to the south-eastern United states especially Florida and Louisiana.It is a close relative of the Illicium verum but it is not edible....
     (Purple Anise or Florida Anise). Southeastern United States
    United States

    The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
    .
  • Illicium henryi (Henry's Anise). Southwestern China
    China

    China is a Culture of China, an ancient civilization, and, depending on perspective, a national or multinational entity extending over a large area in East Asia....
    .
  • Illicium lanceolatum. Southern China
    China

    China is a Culture of China, an ancient civilization, and, depending on perspective, a national or multinational entity extending over a large area in East Asia....
    .
  • Illicium mexicanum (Mexican Anise). Mexico
    Mexico

    The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federalism constitutionalism republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of Mexico....
    .
  • Illicium parviflorum
    Illicium parviflorum

    Yellow anise is an aromatic evergreen tree or shrub common to the southeastern United States, especially around the states of Florida and Georgia ....
     (Yellow Anise). Southeastern United States
    United States

    The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
    .
  • Illicium ternstroemioides
    Illicium ternstroemioides

    Illicium ternstroemioides is a species of plant in the Illiciaceae family. It is found in China and Vietnam....
    . Southern China
    China

    China is a Culture of China, an ancient civilization, and, depending on perspective, a national or multinational entity extending over a large area in East Asia....
    .
  • Illicium verum
    Star anise

    Star anise, star aniseed, badiane or Chinese star anise, is a spice that closely resembles anise in flavor, obtained from the star-shaped fruit of Illicium verum, a small native evergreen tree of southwest China....
     (Star Anise). Southern China
    China

    China is a Culture of China, an ancient civilization, and, depending on perspective, a national or multinational entity extending over a large area in East Asia....
    , Vietnam
    Vietnam

    Vietnam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam , is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by People's Republic of China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea to the east....
    .


Uses

The fruits of Illicium verum are known as star anise
Star anise

Star anise, star aniseed, badiane or Chinese star anise, is a spice that closely resembles anise in flavor, obtained from the star-shaped fruit of Illicium verum, a small native evergreen tree of southwest China....
, and are used as a seasoning in Chinese and southeast-Asian cooking. Japanese star anise
Japanese star anise

The Japanese star anise is a tree similar to star anise. It is highly toxic, therefore it is not edible; instead, it has been burned as incense in Japan, where it is known as shikimi....
 (Illicium anisatum) is used in Japan
Japan

Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, People's Republic of China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south....
 to produce incense
Incense

Incense is composed of aromatic Biotic material materials. It releases fragrant smoke when burned. The term incense refers to the substance itself, rather than to the odor that it produces....
, but its fruits are toxic if ingested.