Illicium species are
evergreenshrubs and small
trees. The leaves are alternately arranged and borne on
petioles. The blades are glandular and fragrant. The flowers are solitary. They have few to many
tepals in two or three rows, the inner ones like
petals and the outer ones often smaller and more like
bracts. A few to many
stamens and
pistils are at the center. The fruit is an
aggregate of
follicles arranged in a star-shaped whorl. One seed is in each follicle, released when the follicle
dehisces. The seed has a thick, oily
endosperm.[5]
Biology
These are plants of moist
understory, adapted to shady habitat, and some species are so sensitive to light that too much sunlight causes them significant stress, manifesting in
chlorosis and
necrosis of the leaves.[6]
Uses
Several species are cultivated as
ornamental plants for their flowers, foliage, and fragrance, leading to the development of several
cultivars.[7] Many taxa can only be grown in low-light situations.[6]
The
essential oils of several species are used as
flavorings and
carminatives; however, the oils of I. anisatum and I. floridanum are toxic. I. verum, the common star anise, is used to flavor food and
liquor. Its fruit is a
traditional Chinese medicine called bājiǎo huíxiāng (八角茴香), which is used to treat abdominal pain and vomiting.[5]
Diversity
Illicium is a notably difficult genus to taxonomically classify. Many of the currently recognized species lack distinguishing characters, and treatments tend to list many synonyms. Additionally, herbarium material is often poorly preserved or scarce.[8]
^Morris, Ashley B.; Bell, Charles D.; Clayton, Joshua W.; Judd, Walter S.; Soltis, Douglas E.; Soltis, Pamela S. (2007). "Phylogeny and Divergence Time Estimation in Illicium with Implications for New World Biogeography". Systematic Botany. 32 (2): 236–249.
doi:
10.1600/036364407781179734.
S2CID86383852.
^"Illicium L."Plants of the World Online. Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. 2017. Retrieved 13 March 2021.