Description
Star anise is the dried, star shaped fruit of Illicium verum, an evergreen tree. It is also known as star anise seed, Chinese star anise, or badian. The fruit takes its name from the starlike arrangement of its carpels around a central axis. Carpels contain a single seed and dried carpels are hard, rough, and reddish brown. The seeds are smooth, lustrous, and light brown.
The plant is native to the southeastern part of China and to Vietnam. In India, it is produced to a small extent in Arunachal Pradesh. It prefers woodlands, sunny edges, and dappled shade for growing.
