Coriander
Coriander, common name for an annual herb of the parsley family that grows to a height of about 30 to 90 cm (about 12 to 36 in). The lower leaves are divided into fine, threadlike partitions; the white and pink flowers grow in small, loose clusters. Native to Europe and Asia Minor, coriander has become naturalized in the United States. It is cultivated for its fruit, the dried seeds of which, also called coriander, are used as a spice in a wide variety of foods, and for its pungent leaves, called cilantro, a basic ingredient in Latin American and Asian cooking. Oil that is extracted from the seed is used in the preparation of liqueurs and is a medicine for abdominal discomfort.