Botany names

Description - Phytography: Plants are biennial; stem 0.3-2.4 m, erect, branching; leaves pinnate with large, deeply tobed segments, upper ones tripartite, others once or twice bifid, coarsely toothed at the apex; the inflorescence is a compound umbel of small white flowers; umbel rays 5-10; fruit 1.6-2.0 mm, ridged, narrow, vitta broad, taste aromatic, warm and pungent.

Chemical Constituents- Stem and Leaf: essential oil, but inferior to that from seed; Fruit: a number of furo coumarins, rutaretin, apiumetin, bergapten, isoimpinellin, isoimperatorin, coumarins; dehydroflurocoumarin glucoside; Seed: fatty acids, stigma sterol, pheromone steroid, an essential oil-called celery seed oil; Seed-husk: graveobioside A & B. Remarks: Extensively used as a condiment and to flavour food products, sauces, soups, pickles, pastries, perfumes, soaps and liquors. Two varieties of celery known: A. Graveolens var. dulce (Mill.) Pers. and var. rapaceum (Mill.) Gaudich. In India, the first variety is mainly cultivated.

Use - Traditional use : Root: alterative, diuretic, in anasarca and colic; decoction used in rheumatism and in rheumatoid arthritis. UNANI: Ingredient of 'Karafe'. Modern use: Seed: used as stimulant, carminative, nervine sedative, tonic, in cordial, emmenagogue, antiseptic, in asthma, bronchitis, liver and spleen diseases. In India, the celery oil is utilised as a tonic and nerve stimulant