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Japanese star anise or shikimi, Illicium anisatum
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Japanese star anise or shikimi, Illicium anisatum
Japanese star anise or shikimi, Illicium anisatum. Handcoloured lithograph by Hanhart after a botanical illustration by David Blair from Robert Bentley and Henry Trimens Medicinal Plants, London, 1880
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Media ID 23153080
© Florilegius/Mary Evans
Anise Apothecary Bentley Blair Hanhart Herbal Medicinal Poison Toxic Trimen
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This exquisite handcoloured lithograph depicts Japanese star anise, or Illicium anisatum, also known as shikimi or shikimi-no-kobu, a native plant of Japan and China. The intricately detailed illustration is based on a botanical drawing by David Blair, with the lithography executed by Hanhart, for the publication "Medicinal Plants" by Robert Bentley and Henry Trimen in London, 1880. Japanese star anise is a small evergreen tree, belonging to the Schisandraceae family, which grows up to 15 meters in height. Its most distinctive feature is its star-shaped fruit, which resembles a luminous constellation when in clusters. Each star consists of six to ten radiating points, each point being a small, round, brown seed. The plant is native to the mountainous regions of Japan, China, and Korea, and is now cultivated in other parts of Asia, Europe, and North America for its aromatic seeds, which are used in traditional herbal medicine and cooking. The seeds of Japanese star anise contain anethole, the same compound that gives anise its distinctive flavor. However, they also contain toxic compounds, such as shikimic acid and anisaldehyde, which can cause poisoning if ingested in large quantities. Traditional uses of Japanese star anise include the treatment of digestive disorders, respiratory infections, and rheumatism. In Japanese and Chinese cuisine, the seeds are used as a spice, imparting a sweet, licorice-like flavor to dishes, particularly in pickling and in the preparation of miso and soy sauce. This beautiful illustration not only showcases the botanical beauty of Japanese star anise but also highlights its significance in various aspects of human life, from medicine to cuisine.
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