Chervil

Chervil (Anthriscus cerefolium), a potherb, cultivated by Gerard in Holborn in 1590, occurring now as an escape from cultivation in England, and largely grown as a seasoning for soup and for salad on the Continent. It is an umbelliferous plant with a stem hairy above the nodes, fine-divided leaves, sessile umbels of minute flowers, and smooth fruit. There is a curled-leaved variety, which is used as a garnish. A related British species, A. vulgaris, with smooth stem, stalked umbels, and hairy fruit, is poisonous. The parsnip chervil, A. bulbosus, a native of France, has a nutty esculent root.