Petroselinum crispum

The parsley (Petroselinum crispum) is a herbaceous plant of the Apiaceae family native to the central zone of the Mediterranean region and introduced and naturalized in the rest of Europe and widely distributed throughout the world. It is generally cultivated as a condiment.

Detail of the leaves.

Description

A biennial herbaceous plant, although it can also be grown as an annual. It forms a plumed rosette of very divided leaves, reaches 30 cm in height and has flowering stems that can exceed 60 cm with small yellowish-green and black flowers.

Its cultivation has been known for more than three thousand years, being one of the most popular aromatic plants in world gastronomy.

The large parsley variety Petroselinum sativum tuberosum, has a thickened axonomorphic root, similar to a parsnip, which is consumed as a raw or cooked vegetable. This variety has leaves that are larger and more wrinkled than those of common parsley and more similar to the wild species.

Distribution and habitat

It is found naturalized in orchards, gardens and sometimes along roadsides, walls, crops, etc. throughout Europe and parts of Asia. It is also acclimatized in temperate zones of America.

History

A native of the central European Mediterranean, it was already used by the Greeks and Romans as a flavoring agent for different stews.

Its medicinal use dates back to antiquity, as evidenced by its presence in Capitulare de villis vel curtis imperii, an order issued by Charlemagne in which he decreed the cultivation in his fields of a series of herbs and condiments including "petrosilinum", later identified as Petroselinum crispum.

Nutritional value

The leaves of all types of parsley are rich in vitamins and minerals, as long as they are eaten raw -as in the tabbouleh salad, typical of Lebanese cuisine-, since cooking eliminates part of their vitamin components. Fresh parsley contains high levels of vitamin K, vitamin C, and vitamin A.

Gatronomic use

It is widely used as an aromatic herb in any type of food (just like pepper). It has a great affinity with garlic since it balances the flavor that it usually gives by neutralizing its excessive strength; Indeed, this combination is widely known as ajillo (for which prepared dishes are known as al ajillo, in the case of some fish and shellfish).

Medicinal use

P. crispum increases diuresis by inhibiting the Na+/K+-AT pump. It passes in the kidney, favoring the excretion of sodium and water, however increasing the reabsorption of potassium and its increase. ^{[citation needed]} It also has therapeutic effects as an emmenagogue, is beneficial for the kidneys and the digestive system in general, relieves flatulence and cramps. Historically it was used to combat anemia, arthritis and cancer, as well as expectorant, antimicrobial, aphrodisiac, hypotensive, laxative and as a lotion to stimulate hair growth, however, no scientific study has shown these effects.

Cultivation

Inmature seeds.

Petroselinum neapolitanum, variety of smooth leaf.

Plant view.

Thickness of variety Petroselinum sativum tuberosum.

It reproduces by seed, in a sunny place and in any soil that is not too compact. However, germination is quite difficult to achieve. It is inconsistent and can take anywhere from three to six weeks. It is speculated that chemical compounds called furanocoumarins, present in the outer shell of the seed or testa, may be responsible for this delay in germination. These compounds can inhibit the germination of other seeds, allowing parsley to compete with neighboring plants. However, the same plant can be affected by its own furanocoumarins. Leaving the seeds soaked overnight reduces the germination period.

It can be grown in pots or planters, to have fresh and tender leaves as a garnish for dishes. The necessary ones are simply cut and watered afterwards to stimulate vegetative growth.

Conservation

You kill parsley.

Parsley has low ethylene production and high sensitivity to this phytohormone, which is why keeping the product in the same chamber as climacteric fruits with high ethylene production is not recommended. Its optimal storage conditions are: temperature of 0 °C, and relative humidity of 95 to 100%. Under optimal storage conditions it has a useful life in post-harvest of one to two months, although in a domestic refrigerator, in the presence of fruit. climacteric and with temperatures between 4 and 8 °C, the conservation time is generally reduced to a few weeks.

Taxonomy

Petroselinum crispum was described by Besser ex DC. and published in Prodromus Systematis Naturalis Regni Vegetabilis 4: 175. 1830.

Etymology

Petroselinum: generic name from Medieval Latin petrosilium, from Classical Latin petroselinum, Latinization of Greek πετροσέλινον (petroselinon), "rock parsley", from πέτρα (petra) = "rock, stone", + σέλινον (selinon) = "parsley".

crispum: Latin epithet meaning "curly-haired".

Sinonimia

• Petroselinum crispum (Mill.) Mansf.
• Petroselinum crispum (Mill.) Nyman
• Petroselinum hortense var. crispum L.H. Bailey
• Petroselinum petroselinum (L.) H. Karst.
• Petroselinum vulgare Lag.
• Selinum petroselinum (L.) E.H.L. Krause

Common name

• celery, celery of stones, ligustico do Reino, ligustico pilgrim, peregil, parsley, perexil, petroselino, prejil, prexil.