21. Eryngium foetidum

21. Scientific name: Eryngium foetidum L.

Common names:

spirit weed, cilantro, recao, shadow beni, Mexican coriander, bhandhania, long coriander, sawtooth coriander

Family: Apiaceae

Origin:

Central and South America

Description:

Eryngium foetidum is a tap-rooted biennial herb with long, evenly branched roots. The oblanceolate leaves, arranged spirally around the short thick stem, form a basal rosette and are as much as 30 cm long and 4 cm broad. The leaf margin is serrated, each tooth of the margin containing a small yellow spine. The plant produces a well-branched cluster of flower heads in spikes forming the characteristic umbel inflorescence on a long stalk arising from the centre of the leaf rosette. The calyx is green while the corolla is creamy white in colour.

Use:

Eryngium foetidum is widely used in seasoning, marinating and garnishing in the Caribbean. It dries well, retaining good color and flavor, making it valuable in the dried herb industry. It is sometimes used as a substitute for coriander leaves but has a much stronger taste. The plant has been used in traditional medicine in tropical regions for burns, earache, fevers, hypertension, constipation, fits, asthma, stomachache, worms, infertility complications, snake bites, diarrhea, and malaria. It is also known as E. anti-hysteri-cum. The specific name anti-hysteri-cum reflects the fact that this plant has traditionally been used for epilepsy. The plant is said to calm a person's 'spirit' and thus prevents epileptic 'fits', so is known by the common names spiritweed and fitweed. The anticonvulsant properties of this plant have been scientifically investigated. A decoction of the leaves has been shown to exhibit anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects in rats.