dill
Anethum L.
A genus overview; characteristics vary between its species.
Anethum is an aromatic genus in the carrot family that includes cultivated dill. A 2026 revision combined plant structure with DNA evidence and proposed a broader treatment of the genus. North African plants featured prominently in that work, linking familiar culinary foliage with an active botanical research question. Kew POWO: AnethumChatelain et al. 2026: Revision of Anethum in North Africa
Botanical name
Anethum L. is an accepted genus in Apiaceae. The catalog is retained at genus rank, without assigning a dill species. Kew POWO: Anethum
Recognizing the plant
The New South Wales flora describes branching, hairless herbs with a taproot and strongly scented foliage. Leaves sheath the stem at their bases and divide repeatedly into long, thread-like segments. The loose flowering heads are compound umbels with many rays and no surrounding bracts. Individual yellow flowers contain both male and female organs; their small petals bend inward at the tips. The oval or elliptical fruits are flattened from front to back. Each half has five ribs, with slender ridges on the back and wing-like expansions along the sides. Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney PlantNET: Anethum
Native range
Kew lists native populations across North Africa and western Asia, including Morocco, Algeria, Libya, Tunisia, Chad, Mauritania, Cyprus, Iran and parts of the Arabian Peninsula. Kew POWO: Anethum
Botanical sources
- Kew POWO: Anethum
- Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney PlantNET: Anethum
- Chatelain et al. 2026: Revision of Anethum in North Africa
Reviewed 2026-10-11. Seasonal development varies with location and growing conditions.