Smell of sweetest fennel. --Milton.
A sprig of fennel was in fact the theological smelling
bottle of the tender sex. --S. G.
Goodrich.
{Azorean, or Sweet}, {fennel}, ({F[ae]niculum dulce}). It is
a smaller and stouter plant than the common fennel, and is
used as a pot herb.
{Dog's fennel} ({Anthemis Cotula}), a foul-smelling European
weed; -- called also {mayweed}.
{Fennel flower} (Bot.), an herb ({Nigella}) of the Buttercup
family, having leaves finely divided, like those of the
fennel. {N. Damascena} is common in gardens. {N. sativa}
furnishes the fennel seed, used as a condiment, etc., in
India. These seeds are the ``fitches'' mentioned in Isaiah
(xxviii. 25).
{Fennel water} (Med.), the distilled water of fennel seed. It
is stimulant and carminative.
{Giant fennel} ({Ferula communis}), has stems full of pith,
which, it is said, were used to carry fire, first, by
Prometheus.
{Hog's fennel}, a European plant ({Peucedanum officinale})
looking something like fennel.