This page is about the genus of plants. Illicium is also a term for the modified first dorsal fin ray of angler fishes, used to attract prey.

Illicium (Anise-tree, Anise tree) is a genus

Genus

In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...

 of flowering plant

Flowering plant

The flowering plants , also known as Angiospermae or Magnoliophyta, are the most diverse group of land plants. Angiosperms are seed-producing plants like the gymnosperms and can be distinguished from the gymnosperms by a series of synapomorphies...

s containing 42 species

Species

In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...

 of evergreen shrub

Shrub

A shrub or bush is distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and shorter height, usually under 5–6 m tall. A large number of plants may become either shrubs or trees, depending on the growing conditions they experience...

s and small tree

Tree

A tree is a perennial woody plant. It is most often defined as a woody plant that has many secondary branches supported clear of the ground on a single main stem or trunk with clear apical dominance. A minimum height specification at maturity is cited by some authors, varying from 3 m to...

s, in family Schisandraceae

Schisandraceae

Schisandraceae is the botanical name of a family of flowering plants. Such a family has been recognized by most taxonomists, at least for the past several decades. Before that, the plants concerned were assigned to family Magnoliaceae....

. The species are native to the tropical and subtropical regions of eastern and southeastern Asia

Asia

Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...

, southeastern North America

North America

North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...

, and the West Indies.

Selected species

• Illicium anisatum
  Japanese star anise
  Illicium anisatum, commonly known as the Japanese star anise, is a tree similar to Chinese star anise. It is highly toxic, therefore it is not edible; instead, it has been burned as incense in Japan, where it is known as...
  
  (Japanese Star Anise). Southern Japan
  Japan
  Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
  
  , Taiwan
  Taiwan
  Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
  
  .
• Illicium arborescens. Taiwan
  Taiwan
  Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
  
  .
• Illicium dunnianum
• Illicium fargesii
• Illicium floridanum
  Illicium floridanum
  Illicium floridanum is an evergreen shrub native to the south-eastern United states especially Florida and Louisiana....
  
  (Purple Anise or Florida Anise). Southeastern United States
  United States
  The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
  
  .
• Illicium griffithii
• Illicium henryi (Henry's Anise). Southwestern China
  China
  Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
  
  .
• Illicium jiadifengpi
• Illicium lanceolatum. Southern China
  China
  Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
  
  .
• Illicium macranthum
• Illicium merrillianum
• Illicium mexicanum (Mexican Anise). Mexico
  Mexico
  The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
  
  .
• Illicium micranthum
• Illicium minwanense
• Illicium oligandrum
• Illicium parviflorum
  Illicium parviflorum
  Illicium parviflorum, commonly known as yellow anise, is an aromatic evergreen tree or shrub common to the southeastern United States, especially around the states of Florida and Georgia. It is in the same genus as the star anise - Illicium verum, which is commonly used and sold as a spice...
  
  (Yellow Anise). Southeastern United States
  United States
  The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
  
  .
• Illicium simonsii
• Illicium ternstroemioides
  Illicium ternstroemioides
  Illicium ternstroemioides is a species of plant in the Schisandraceae family. It is found in China and Vietnam.-Source:* World Conservation Monitoring Centre 1998. . Downloaded on 22 August 2007....
  
  . Southern China
  China
  Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
  
  .
• Illicium verum
  Star anise
  Illicium verum, commonly called Star anise, star aniseed, or Chinese star anise, is a spice that closely resembles anise in flavor, obtained from the star-shaped pericarp of Illicium verum, a small native evergreen tree of northeast Vietnam and southwest China...
  
  (Star Anise). Southern China
  China
  Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
  
  , Vietnam
  Vietnam
  Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
  
  .

Uses

The fruits of Illicium verum are known as star anise

Star anise

Illicium verum, commonly called Star anise, star aniseed, or Chinese star anise, is a spice that closely resembles anise in flavor, obtained from the star-shaped pericarp of Illicium verum, a small native evergreen tree of northeast Vietnam and southwest China...

, and are used as a seasoning in Chinese and southeast-Asian cooking. Japanese star anise

Japanese star anise

Illicium anisatum, commonly known as the Japanese star anise, is a tree similar to Chinese star anise. It is highly toxic, therefore it is not edible; instead, it has been burned as incense in Japan, where it is known as...

 (Illicium anisatum) is used in Japan

Japan

Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

 to produce incense

Incense

Incense is composed of aromatic biotic materials, which release fragrant smoke when burned. The term "incense" refers to the substance itself, rather than to the odor that it produces. It is used in religious ceremonies, ritual purification, aromatherapy, meditation, for creating a mood, and for...

, but its fruits are toxic if ingested.