Herb

In botany, a herb (pronounced with our without the h) technically is a seed-bearing plant (most specifically a flowering plant) that does not produce a woody stem with persistent tissue but generally dies down to the ground level each year. That is, a herb is a herbaceous plant, with one or more non-woody stems that do not persist above ground, as opposed to a woody plant. The term herb also is popularly applied to any useful plant that is employed for medicinal purposes, or as a condiment or seasoning, or even for spiritual uses, regardless of whether it is a woody plant or a herbaceous plant. For example, rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) is used in traditional Mediterranean cuisine and medicinally as a herb despite the fact that it is a woody, perennial plant.

Overview

Herbs: basil

Salvia lyrata, a herbaceous plant

A herbaceous plant is a plant that has leaves and stems that die at the end of the growing season to the soil level. A herbaceous plant may be annual, biennial or perennial.

Herbaceous perennial plants have stems that die at the end of the growing season. New growth forms from the roots or from underground stems or from crown tissue at the surface of the ground. Examples include bulbs, Peonies, Hosta and grasses. By contrast, non-herbaceous perennial plants are woody plants which have little stems above ground that remain alive during winter and grow shoots the next year from the above ground parts, including trees, shrubs and vines.

Herbaceous plants are pioneers, or early-successional species. These species are relatively fast growing plants,and have a wide distribution of seeds and stems.

Herbs have a variety of uses including culinary, medicinal, or in some cases even spiritual usage. The green, leafy part of the plant is often used, but herbal medicine makes use of the roots, flowers, seeds, root bark, inner bark (cambium), berries and sometimes the pericarp or other portions. General usage differs between culinary herbs and medicinal herbs. A medicinal herb may be a shrub or other woody plant, whereas a culinary herb is a non-woody plant, typically using the leaves. By contrast, spices are the seeds, berries, bark, root, fruit, or other parts of the plant, even leaves in some cases; although any of these, as well as any edible fruits or vegetables, may be considered "herbs" in medicinal or spiritual use. Culinary herbs are distinguished from vegetables in that they are used in small amounts and provide flavor (similar to spices) rather than substance to food. In this sense, some herbs contain phytochemicals that when consumed in small quantities can be healthy, yet in large quantities can be toxic to the liver. Some types of herbal extract, such as the extract of Hypericum perforatum (St. John's wort), or the Piper methysticum (kava plant) can be used for medical purposes to relieve depression and stress. However, administering high amounts of these herbs may lead to poisoning, and should be used with caution.

Pronunciation of "h" in herb

From American heritage (or put in overview)

List of culinary herbs and spices

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A spice market in Istanbul

This is a list of culinary "herbs and spices". Specifically these are unrefined and unmixed food or drink additives of botanical origin, used in nutritionally insignificant quantities for flavoring. As such, this list does contain pepper, but not salt (which is a mineral), or curry powder (which is a mixture). It also does not contain herbs or spices that are purely medicinal (such as valerian), fictional (such as aglaophotis), or are used as recreational drugs (such as marijuana). For medicinal herbs see list of medicinal herbs.

A

• Ajwain (Trachyspermum ammi)
• Allspice (Pimenta dioica)
• Alkanet (Anchusa arvensis)
• Amchur - mango powder (Mangifera)
• Angelica (Angelica archangelica)
• Anise (Pimpinella anisum)
• Aniseed myrtle (Syzygium anisatum)
• Annatto (Bixa orellana L.)
• Apple mint (Mentha suaveolens)
• Artemisia vulgaris/Mugwort
• Asafoetida (Ferula assafoetida)

B

• Berberis
• Banana
• Basil (Ocimum basilicum)
• Bay leaves
• Bistort (Persicaria bistorta")
• Black cardamom
• Black cumin
• Blackcurrant
• Black limes
• Bladder wrack (Fucus vesiculosus)
• Blue Cohosh
• Blue-leaved Mallee (Eucalyptus polybractea)
• Bog Labrador Tea (Rhododendron groenlandicum)
• Boldo (Peumus boldus)
• Bolivian Coriander (Porophyllum ruderale)
• Borage (Borago officinalis)

C

• Calamus
• Calendula
• Calumba (Jateorhiza calumba)
• Chamomile
• Candle nut
• Cannabis
• Caper (Capparis spinosa)
• Caraway
• Cardamom
• Carob Pod
• Cassia
• Casuarina
• Catnip
• Cat's Claw
• Catsear
• Cayenne pepper
• Celastrus Paniculatus - Herb.
• Celery salt
• Celery seed
• Centaury
• Chervil (Anthriscus cerefolium)
• Chickweed
• Chicory
• Chile pepper
• Chili powder
• Cinchona
• Chives (Allium schoenoprasum)
• Cicely (Myrrhis odorata)
• Cilantro (see Coriander) (Coriandrum sativum)
• Cinnamon (and Cassia)
• Cinnamon Myrtle (Backhousia myrtifolia)
• Clary
• Cleavers
• Clover
• Cloves
• Coffee
• Coltsfoot
• Comfrey
• Common Rue
• Condurango
• Coptis
• Coriander
• Costmary (Tanacetum balsamita)
• Couchgrass
• Cow Parsley (Anthriscus sylvestris)
• Cowslip
• Cramp Bark (Viburnum opulus)
• Cress
• Cuban Oregano (Plectranthus amboinicus)
• Cudweed
• Cumin
• Curry leaf (Murraya koenigii)

D

• Damiana (Turnera aphrodisiaca, T. diffusa)
• Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)
• Demulcent
• Devil's claw (Harpagophytum procumbens)
• Dill seed
• Dill (Anethum graveolens)
• Dorrigo Pepper (Tasmannia stipitata)

E

• Echinacea -
• Echinopanax Elatum
• Edelweiss
• Elderberry
• Elderflower
• Elecampane
• Eleutherococcus senticosus
• Emmenagogue
• Epazote (Chenopodium ambrosioides)
• Ephedra -
• Eryngium foetidum
• Eucalyptus
• Eyebright

F

• Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare)
• Fenugreek
• Feverfew
• Figwort
• Filé powder
• Five-spice powder (Chinese)
• Fo-ti-tieng
• Fumitory

G

• Galangal
• Garam masala
• Garden cress
• Garlic chives
• Garlic
• Ginger (Zingiber officinale)
• Ginkgo biloba
• Ginseng
• Ginseng, Siberian (Eleutherococcus senticosus)
• Goat's Rue (Galega officinalis)
• Goada masala
• Golden Rod
• Golden Seal
• Gotu Kola
• Grains of paradise (Aframomum melegueta)
• Grains of Selim (Xylopia aethiopica)
• Grape seed extract
• Green tea
• Ground Ivy
• Guaco
• Gypsywort

H

• Hawthorn (Crataegus sanguinea)
• Hawthorne Tree
• Hemp
• Herbes de Provence
• Hibiscus
• Holly
• Holy Thistle
• Hops
• Horehound
• Horseradish
• Horsetail (Equisetum telmateia)
• Hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis)

J

• Jalap
• Jasmine
• Jiaogulan (Gynostemma pentaphyllum)
• Joe Pye weed (Gravelroot)
• John the Conqueror
• Juniper

K

• Kaffir Lime Leaves (Citrus hystrix, C. papedia)
• Kaala masala
• Knotweed
• Kokam

L

• Labrador tea
• Lady's Bedstraw
• Lady's Mantle
• Land cress
• Lavender (Lavandula spp.)
• Ledum
• Lemon Balm (Melissa Officinalis)
• Lemon basil
• Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus, C. flexuosus, and other species)
• Lemon Ironbark (Eucalyptus staigeriana)
• Lemon mint
• Lemon Myrtle (Backhousia citriodora)
• Lemon Thyme
• Lemon verbena (Lippia citriodora)
• Licorice - adaptogen
• Lime Flower
• Limnophila aromatica
• Lingzhi
• Linseed
• Liquorice
• Long pepper
• Lovage (Levisticum officinale)
• Luohanguo

M

• Mace
• Mahlab
• Malabathrum
• Manchurian Thorn Tree (Aralia manchurica)]]
• Mandrake
• Marjoram (Origanum majorana)
• Marrubium vulgare
• Marsh Labrador Tea
• Marshmallow
• Mastic
• Meadowsweet
• Mei Yen
• Melegueta pepper ( Aframomum melegueta)
• Mint (Mentha spp.)
• Milk thistle (Silybum)
• Bergamot (Monarda didyma)
• Motherwort
• Mountain Skullcap
• Mullein (Verbascum thapsus)
• Mustard
• Mustard seed

N

• Nashia inaguensis
• Neem
• Nepeta
• Nettle
• Nigella sativa
• Nigella (Kolanji, Black caraway)
• Noni
• Nutmeg (and Mace) Marijuana

O

• Oenothera (Oenothera biennis et al)
• Olida (Eucalyptus olida)
• Oregano (Origanum vulgare, O. heracleoticum, and other species)
• Orris root
• Osmorhiza
• Olive Leaf (used in tea and as herbal supplement)

P

• Panax quinquefolius
• Pandan leaf
• Paprika
• Parsley (Petroselinum crispum)
• Passion Flower
• Patchouli
• Pennyroyal
• Pepper (black, white, and green)
• Peppermint
• Peppermint Gum (Eucalyptus dives)
• Perilla
• Plantain
• Pomegranate
• Ponch phoran
• Poppy seed
• Primrose (Primula) — candied flowers, tea
• Psyllium
• Purslane

Q

• Quassia
• Quatre épices

R

• Ramsons
• Ras el-hanout
• Raspberry (leaves)
• Reishi
• Restharrow
• Rhodiola rosea
• Riberry (Syzygium luehmannii)
• Rocket/Arugula
• Roman chamomile
• Rooibos
• Rosehips
• Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)
• Rowan Berries
• Rue

S

• Safflower
• Saffron
• Sage (Salvia officinalis)
• Saigon Cinnamon
• St John's Wort
• Salad Burnet (Sanguisorba minor or Poterium sanguisorba)
• Salvia
• Sichuan Pepper (Sansho)
• Sassafras
• Savory (Satureja hortensis, S. Montana)
• Schisandra (Schisandra chinensis)
• Scutellaria costaricana
• Senna (herb)
• Senna obtusifolia
• Sesame seed
• Sheep Sorrel
• Shepherd's Purse
• Sialagogue
• Siberian Chaga
• Siberian ginseng (Eleutherococcus senticosus)
• Siraitia grosvenorii (luohanguo)
• Skullcap
• Sloe Berries
• Smudge Stick
• Sonchus
• Sorrel (Rumex spp.)
• Southernwood
• Spearmint
• Speedwell
• Squill
• Star anise
• Stevia
• Strawberry Leaves
• Suma (Pfaffia paniculata)
• Sumac
• Summer savory
• Sutherlandia frutescens
• Sweet grass
• Sweet cicely (Myrrhis odorata)
• Sweet woodruff
• Szechuan pepper (Xanthoxylum piperitum)

T

• Tacamahac
• Tamarind
• Tandoori masala
• Tansy
• Tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus)
• Tea
• Teucrium polium
• Thai basil
• Thistle
• Thyme
• Toor Dall
• Tormentil
• Tribulus terrestris
• Tulsi (Ocimum tenuiflorum)
• Turmeric (Curcuma longa)

U

• Uva Ursi also known as Bearberry

V

• Vanilla (Vanilla planifolia)
• Vasaka
• Vervain
• Vetiver
• Vietnamese Coriander (Persicaria odorata)

W

• Wasabi (Wasabia japonica)
• Watercress
• Wattleseed
• Wild ginger
• Wild Lettuce
• Wild thyme
• Winter savory
• Witch Hazel
• Wolfberry
• Wood Avens
• Wood Betony
• Woodruff
• Wormwood

Y

• Yarrow
• Yerba Buena
• Yohimbe

Z

• Za'atar
• Zedoary Root

See also

• Spice
• List of medicinal herbs

References

ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

The American Heritage dictionary of the English language (American Heritage). 2000. New York: Bartleby.com. http://www.bartleby.com/61/. OCLC 45138042. http://www.bartleby.com/61/73/H0157300.html herb

External links

Wikibooks Cookbook has more about this subject: Herb

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