Common name: Celery

Latin name: Apium graveolens L

Family: Apiaceae (Umbelliferae)

Other names: Arabic: Karfas, Karafs; Czech: Celer; German: Sellerie, Eppich; English: Celeriac; French: Céleri ; Spanish: Apio; Swedish: Selleri

Description:

Apium graveolens L, the common celery, is a hapaxanthic herb, grown as a biennial and, unde  certain conditions, as an annual.

From the beet-like tap-root (the uppermost part being a shoot) with its fibrous sideroots rises an aerial stem, 2 to 3 ft. high, branched and leafy, which bears compound umbels of small white flowers. The small fruit (or seed, as it is called commercially) consists of an ovate, dark brown cremocarp.

Possessing a characteristic, agreeable odor and a warm, aromatic, somewhat pungent taste, it is employed as condiment in the flavoring of food products. The seed also serves as birds’ food. The volatile or essential oil distilled from celery seed is used extensively for flavoring purposes.