All about two important spices of India- Fennel and Saffron. From place of origin to economic importance, every aspect is covered.

1. Fennel and Saffron
By Akum Paul Singh
Roll no. 2084

2. Foeniculum vulgare Fennel
Family: Apiaceae/Umbelliferae
Part Used: Dried fruits

3. Fennel
 Origin: Southern Europe and the Mediterranean
region(shores)
Two varieties-
(i) F. vulgare var. vulgare—bitter fennel
(ii) F. vulgare var. dulce---sweet/ roman/ Florence
fennel
Bitter fennel cultivated in Russia, India, Romania,
Italy, Hungary, Germany, France, Japan, Argentina
and USA
 Sweet fennel cultivated in France, Italy ad
Macedonia
 In India, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Karnataka,
U.P., Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan are fennel
producing states.

4. Fennel
 Origin: Southern Europe and the Mediterranean
region(shores)
Two varieties-
(i) F. vulgare var. vulgare—bitter fennel
(ii) F. vulgare var. dulce---sweet/ roman/ Florence fennel
Bitter fennel cultivated in Russia, India, Romania, Italy,
Hungary, Germany, France, Japan, Argentina and USA
 Sweet fennel cultivated in France, Italy ad Macedonia
 In India, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Karnataka, U.P.,
Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan are fennel producing
states.

5. Morphology
 Perennial herb
 Tall with erect and fisticular stems(upto 2.5m)
 Leaves are feathery, often much divided
(decompound) with swollen clasping leaf
bases
 Inflorescence: Compound Umbel
> Long primary rays
> Short secondary rays
 Flowers- Small and Yellow
 Involucral bract and Involucel bractlets are
absent

6. Morphology
 Each flower consists of five reduced
sepals; five small petals; five stamens;
bicarpellary, syncarpous inferior,
bilocular ovary with single ovule in each
loculus
 Ovary is surmounted by Stylopodium
 Fruit is Schizocarp splitting at maturity into
2 dry, indehiscent, one-seeded sections
called mericarps
 Mericarps attached by a dividing
Carpophore

7. Anatomy of Mericarp
 Pericarp differentiated into ridges(costae) and
grooves(valleculae)
 Contains 4 dorsal and 2 commissural vittae containing
volatile oil
 5 fibrovascular bundles– 3 below dorsal ridges and 2
below commissural ridges
 Pericarp invests a single seed with embryo embedded
in endosperm

8. Varieties of fennel
 In Indian varities, essential oil content: 0.7--
1.2%
 In European varities, essential oil content: 4--
6%
 Fennel oil contains two components:
Anethole(sweet) and Fenchone(bitter)
 In Bitter fennel, 50-60% anethole and rest
fenchone
 In Sweet or Florence fennel, Upto 90%
anethole and fenchone absent

10.  Dried fennel seeds are important
ingredients of curry powders, soups,
meat, dishes, sauces, pastries, liqueurs,
confectionery and pickles

11. Fennel leaves used to flavor fish
sauces and for garnishing

12.  Leaf stalks of Florence fennel are
blanched and used as a vegetable

13.  Fennel oil used as a stimulant and
carminative, often used in infantile colic
and flatulence

14.  Used as a vermicide against hookworms

15.  Oil also used in perfumes, soaps and
medicine

16. Residual mass left after oil
extraction is a valuable cattle feed

17. Crocus sativus Saffron
Family: Iridaceae
Part Used: Stigmas

18. Saffron
(Oldest & most expensive spice)
Origin: Southern Europe and Asia Minor
Distribution in world: Spain, Turkey, France, Italy, Greece,
Austria, England, Iran, China and India
Distribution in India: Pampore in Kashmir(1700m altitude)
Kishtwar in Jammu
Total area in both regions under cultivation-1355ha
(approx.)
Experimental Cultivation in nurseries at Doonda,
Joshimath, Bisar, Bharsar

19. Morphology
 Perennial Herb
 Low-growing (15-25cm high)
 Globular underground corm with 6 or
more leaves
 Leaves are radicle, narrow and linear
 Inflorescence-Violet or bluish Flowers
borne singly
 Vividly deep red or orange tripartite
funnel-shaped stigmas

20. Agroclimatic Conditions
 Low annual rainfall of 38-45 cm is desirable
 Heavy rain or frost at the time of flowering is
disastrous
 Successful cultivation in cold regions with a warm
or subtropical climate

21. Processing of Saffron
 Saffron plants are propagated vegetatively using
cormlets
 Flowering period: Mid or late October---1st or 2nd
week of November
 Stigmas hand-picked everyday as flowers open
 Dried in sun or by artificial heat
 After complete drying, packed in tin containers
Shahi zafran- finest quality saffron obtained from red
tips of the stigmas and is world’s most expensive
spice

24.  Popular ingredient for coloring and
flavoring cheese, butter, puddings and
confectionery

25.  Used for coloring and flavoring
medicines

26.  Saffron cakes are popular in some parts
of England

27.  Used as a tonic and stomachic

28.  In religious and ceremonial rituals by
Hindus

29.  Saffron oil obtained by distillation of
dried stigmas which has a characteristic
odour due to Safranal

30. Adulteration
 True saffron must not be confused with either
meadow saffron or safflower/bastard saffron
 Adulterated with cheap substitutes such as:
 styles and parts of corolla of saffron
 exhausted saffron
 flowers and floral parts of marigold, Calendula,
Safflower
 Corn silk
 Particles of colored wax
 Shredded meat

31. References:
 S.L. Kochhar(2012) Economic Botany in the tropics
 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fennel
 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saffron
 www.spiceadvice.com/
 www.williams-sonoma.com/recipe/tip/all-
aboutspices.html
 www.google.co.in/spicesimages