Angelica archangelica (1118596627).jpg
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''Angelica archangelica'', commonly known as garden angelica, wild celery, and Norwegian angelica, is a
biennial plant A biennial plant is a flowering plant that, generally in a temperate climate, takes two years to complete its biological life cycle. Life cycle In its first year, the biennal plant undergoes primary growth, during which its vegetative structures ...
from the family Apiaceae, a subspecies of which is cultivated for its sweetly scented edible stems and
roots A root is the part of a plant, generally underground, that anchors the plant body, and absorbs and stores water and nutrients. Root or roots may also refer to: Art, entertainment, and media * ''The Root'' (magazine), an online magazine focusing ...
. Like several other species in Apiaceae, its appearance is similar to several poisonous species ('' Conium'', '' Heracleum'', and others), and should not be consumed unless it has been identified with absolute certainty. Synonyms include ''Archangelica officinalis'' Hoffm. and ''Angelica officinalis'' Moench.


Description and distribution

During its first year, it grows only leaves, but during its second year, its fluted stem can reach a height of 2.5 meters (just over 8 feet), and the root is used in flavoring preparations. Its leaves consist of numerous small leaflets divided into three principal groups, each of which is again subdivided into three lesser groups. The edges of the leaflets are finely toothed or serrated. The flowers, which blossom in July, are small and numerous, yellowish or greenish, are grouped into large, globular umbels that bear pale yellow, oblong fruits. ''Angelica'' grows only in damp soil, preferably near rivers or deposits of water. ''Angelica archangelica'' grows wild in Russia, Finland,
Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic country located on ...
, Norway, Denmark, Greenland, the Faroe Islands, and Iceland, mostly in the northern parts of the countries. It is cultivated in France, mainly in the Marais Poitevin, a marsh region close to Niort in the department Deux-Sèvres. Commercially available angelica is often sourced from Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Germany and Poland.


Use and history

From the 10th century on, angelica was cultivated as a vegetable and medicinal plant, and achieved popularity in Scandinavia in the 12th century and is used especially in Sámi culture. It was once used as an herb in Sámi cooking, and known as ''kvanne''. It is used to flavor
liqueur A liqueur (; ; ) is an alcoholic drink composed of spirits (often rectified spirit) and additional flavorings such as sugar, fruits, herbs, and spices. Often served with or after dessert, they are typically heavily sweetened and un-aged beyond ...
s or aquavits, (''e.g.'',
Chartreuse Chartreuse () may refer to: Food and drink * Chartreuse (liqueur), a French liqueur * Chartreuse (dish), a French dish of vegetables or meat tightly wrapped in vegetable leaves and cooked in a mould Religion * Carthusians, a Catholic religi ...
, Bénédictine, Vermouth, and Dubonnet), omelettes and trout, and as
jam Jam is a type of fruit preserve. Jam or Jammed may also refer to: Other common meanings * A firearm malfunction * Block signals ** Radio jamming ** Radar jamming and deception ** Mobile phone jammer ** Echolocation jamming Arts and entertai ...
. The long bright-green stems are also candied and used as food decoration. Angelica is unique among the
Umbelliferae Apiaceae or Umbelliferae is a family of mostly aromatic flowering plants named after the type genus ''Apium'' and commonly known as the celery, carrot or parsley family, or simply as umbellifers. It is the 16th-largest family of flowering plants ...
for its pervading aromatic odor, a pleasant perfume entirely different from fennel,
parsley Parsley, or garden parsley (''Petroselinum crispum'') is a species of flowering plant in the family Apiaceae that is native to the central and eastern Mediterranean region (Sardinia, Lebanon, Israel, Cyprus, Turkey, southern Italy, Greece, Por ...
,
anise Anise (; '), also called aniseed or rarely anix is a flowering plant in the family Apiaceae native to Eurasia. The flavor and aroma of its seeds have similarities with some other spices and herbs, such as star anise, fennel, licorice, and ta ...
, caraway, or chervil. It has been compared to musk and to
juniper Junipers are coniferous trees and shrubs in the genus ''Juniperus'' () of the cypress family Cupressaceae. Depending on the taxonomy, between 50 and 67 species of junipers are widely distributed throughout the Northern Hemisphere, from the Arcti ...
. ''Angelica archangelica'' roots are among the most common botanicals used in
gin Gin () is a distilled alcoholic drink that derives its flavour from juniper berries (''Juniperus communis''). Gin originated as a medicinal liquor made by monks and alchemists across Europe, particularly in southern Italy, Flanders and the Ne ...
distillation, often used in concert with
juniper Junipers are coniferous trees and shrubs in the genus ''Juniperus'' () of the cypress family Cupressaceae. Depending on the taxonomy, between 50 and 67 species of junipers are widely distributed throughout the Northern Hemisphere, from the Arcti ...
berries and
coriander Coriander (;
as a chief aromatic characteristic for gin. They are also used in
absinthe Absinthe (, ) is an anise-flavoured spirit derived from several plants, including the flowers and leaves of ''Artemisia absinthium'' ("grand wormwood"), together with green anise, sweet fennel, and other medicinal and culinary herbs. Historical ...
s, aquavits, and bitters, in addition to culinary uses such as jams and omelettes. The hollow stems of ''Angelica archangelica'' may be eaten. The stems are picked clean of their leaves, crystallized in sugar syrup and colored green as cake decoration or as candy.


Chemical composition

The essential oil content of angelica root varies based on the age of the roots. Generally, the roots have high levels of terpenes, including α-pinene and
β-phellandrene Phellandrenes are a pair of organic compounds that have a similar molecular structure and similar chemical properties. α-Phellandrene and β-phellandrene are cyclic monoterpenes and are double-bond isomers. In α-phellandrene, both double bon ...
. Studies have found upwards of over eighty different aroma compounds present in samples. Of particular interest to perfumers and aroma chemists is cyclopentadecanolide, which although present in small quantities (< 1% in roots, <.5% in seeds), gives angelica root a distinctive musky aroma. The roots are generally preferred for culinary and aroma uses. Angelica seeds have a similar chemical composition to the roots, including α- pinene, β-pinene, camphene, myrcene, β-
phellandrene Phellandrenes are a pair of organic compounds that have a similar molecular structure and similar chemical properties. α-Phellandrene and β-phellandrene are cyclic monoterpenes and are double-bond isomers. In α-phellandrene, both double bonds ...
, limonene, caryophyllene,
borneol Borneol is a bicyclic organic compound and a terpene derivative. The hydroxyl group in this compound is placed in an '' endo'' position. The exo diastereomer is called isoborneol. Being chiral, borneol exists as enantiomers, both of which are foun ...
, carvone and others. Both the seeds and roots contain coumarins and furocoumarins. Among these are 2′-angeloyl-3′-isovaleryl vaginate, archangelicin, oxypeucedanin hydrate,
bergapten Bergapten (5-methoxypsoralen) is a naturally-occurring organic chemical compound produced by numerous plant species, especially from the carrot family Apiaceae and the citrus family Rutaceae. For example, bergapten has been extracted from 24  ...
, byakangelicin angelate, imperatorin, isoimperatorin, isopimpinellin, 8- -(3-methylbutroxy)-3-hydroxy-3-methylbutoxysoralen, osthol, ostruthol, oxypeucedanin, phellopterin, psoralen and xanthotoxin, can be isolated from a chloroform extract of the roots of ''A. archangelica'' as well as several heraclenol derivatives.Further heraclenol derivatives from Angelica archangelica. Sun H and Jakupovic J, Pharmazie, 1986, volume 41, number 12, pages 888-889, The water root extract of ''A. archangelica subsp. litoralis'' contains adenosine, coniferin, the two dihydrofurocoumarin glycosides apterin and 1′-O-β-d-glycopyranosyl-(S)-marmesin ( marmesinin), 1′-O-β-d-glucopyranosyl-(2S, 3R)-3-hydroxymarmesin and 2′-β-d-glucopyranosyloxy marmesin.


Etymology

''Angelica'' is the Latin feminine name implying "angel-like" from the mid-
16th century The 16th century begins with the Julian year 1501 ( MDI) and ends with either the Julian or the Gregorian year 1600 ( MDC) (depending on the reckoning used; the Gregorian calendar introduced a lapse of 10 days in October 1582). The 16th cent ...
, probably named for the plant due to its scent. ''Archangelica'' derives from "an angel of the highest order," an Old French term in the late ( 12th century), or from the Greek word "arkhangelos" ("chief angel").


See also

* ''
Heracleum persicum ''Heracleum persicum'', commonly known as Persian hogweed or by its native name ''Golpar'' ( fa, گلپر) is a species of Heracleum (plant), hogweed, a perennial herbaceous plant in the carrot family Apiaceae. It grows wild in humid mountaino ...
'' (golpar) * '' Angelicin''


References


Further reading

*


External links


eFloras: ''Angelica archangelica''

''Angelica archangelica'' List of Chemicals (Dr. Duke's)
{{Taxonbar, from=Q207745 Angelica Edible Apiaceae Absinthe Flora of Nepal Medicinal plants of Europe Flora of Greenland Plants described in 1753 Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus