Annesorhiza macrocarpa
Eckl. et Zeyh.
Anise root
iNaturalist · cc-by-nc
(c) Richard Adcock, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Richard Adcock
(c) Richard Adcock, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Richard Adcock
iNaturalist · cc-by-sa
(c) Chris Vynbos, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Chris Vynbos
(c) Chris Vynbos, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Chris Vynbos
iNaturalist · cc-by-sa
(c) Nicola van Berkel, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Nicola van Berkel
(c) Nicola van Berkel, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Nicola van Berkel
What to Eat
Edible parts: Root, Leaves
The fleshy roots are traditionally eaten roasted in ashes, boiled in milk, or stewed with meat. The leaves are also edible.
Where to Find It
It is a subtropical plant. It grows in sandy places
Africa, South Africa, Southern Africa,
Countries: Angola, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Benin, Botswana, Congo (DRC), Central African Republic, Congo (Republic), Cote d'Ivoire, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Djibouti, Algeria, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Gambia, Guinea, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Comoros, Liberia, Lesotho, Libya, Morocco, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Seychelles, Sudan, Sierra Leone, Senegal, Somalia, South Sudan, Sao Tome & Principe, Eswatini, Chad, Togo, Tunisia, Tanzania, Uganda, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe
How to Identify
A carrot like herb. The leaves and flowers appear at different times of the year. The leaves are divided several times with deep lobes in opposite pairs. The fruit are rounded. It has several fleshy roots. They have an anise like flavour.
Medicinal Uses
Traditionally used for culinary and medicinal purposes, particularly the roots which have an anise-like flavor.
Names & Synonyms
Anyswortel
Annesorhiza spuria Eckl. & Zeyh.Oenanthe macrocarpa D. Dietr.Oenanthe spuria D. Dietr.
References (6)
- Bircher, A. G. & Bircher, W. H., 2000, Encyclopedia of Fruit Trees and Edible Flowering Plants in Egypt and the Subtropics. AUC Press. p 29
- Jardin, C., 1970, List of Foods Used In Africa, FAO Nutrition Information Document Series No 2.p 55
- Ogle & Grivetti, 1985,
- Peters, C. R., O'Brien, E. M., and Drummond, R.B., 1992, Edible Wild plants of Sub-saharan Africa. Kew. p 195
- Ruiters-Welcome, A. K., 2019, Food plants of southern Africa. Ph.D. thesis. Univ. of Johannesburg p 18
- van Wyk, Be., & Gericke, N., 2007, People's plants. A Guide to Useful Plants of Southern Africa. Briza. p 81
