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Anisetree

Illicium

Also called Anises, Star Anises

Anisetree
Photo: Arria Belli (Arria Belli), CC BY-SA 2.0
Family
Schisandraceae (Schisandr family)
Safety
Toxic

About

Illicium is a genus of flowering plants treated as part of the family Schisandraceae, or alternately as the sole genus of the Illiciaceae. It has a disjunct distribution, with most species native to subtropical and tropical areas of East and Southeast Asia and several in parts of North America, including the southeastern United States, Mexico, and the Caribbean. General common names include star anise and anisetree. The genus name comes from the Latin illicere ("to allure").

Uses

Several species are cultivated as ornamental plants for their flowers, foliage, and fragrance, leading to the development of several cultivars. Many taxa can only be grown in low-light situations.

Other Illicium plants

Lantau Star Anise · Japanese Star Anise · Illicium arborescens · Illicium brevistylum · Illicium burmanicum · Illicium cubense · Illicium difengpi · Illicium dunnianum · Hispaniolan Star Anise · Florida anisetree · Himalayan Star Anise · Illicium guajaibonense

Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Illicium by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts are shared under the same licence.

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