Seseli L. is a large genus of herbaceous perennial plants belonging to the family Apiaceae (the carrot or umbellifer family), placed in the order Apiales. With approximately 140–145 accepted species, it is one of the more species-rich genera in this diverse family.
Plants in the genus are typically perennial herbs, though some are somewhat woody at the base. A characteristic conic taproot is often present. The leaves are divided 1–3 times in a pinnate or pinnately decompound arrangement, giving a feathery, finely dissected appearance typical of many Apiaceae. The inflorescence is the compound umbel that defines the family: multiple small flower clusters (umbellets) radiate from a central point, with bracts few in number or entirely absent. Petals are white or yellow, and the fruits are ovoid to ellipsoid in shape.
The genus was described by Carl Linnaeus and bears his authority (Seseli L.). It has a predominantly Eurasian and Mediterranean distribution, with species distributed across Europe, western and central Asia, and extending into China. Representative members include Seseli gummiferum (moon carrot), a showy species with silvery foliage native to rocky Mediterranean coasts, Seseli bocconei, Seseli austriacum, and Seseli strictum, among many others.
Etymology
The name Seseli is of ancient Greek and Latin origin, used by classical writers including Dioscorides and Pliny to refer to certain umbelliferous plants. Linnaeus adopted the name formally when he described the genus in the eighteenth century.
Distribution
Seseli has a predominantly Eurasian and Mediterranean distribution, with species occurring across Europe (including Mediterranean islands and central Europe), the Caucasus, western and central Asia, and extending as far east as China (e.g. S. delavayi). Many species favour open, rocky, or dry grassland habitats characteristic of the Mediterranean and steppe zones.
Taxonomy Notes
The genus Seseli L. was established by Linnaeus and belongs to the tribe Seselieae within the subfamily Apioideae of Apiaceae. It is one of the largest genera in the family, with roughly 140–145 species accepted by Plants of the World Online (as of December 2022). GBIF records the genus under usageKey 3034132 with authorship L. The generic circumscription has historically been broad, and some species have been moved to or from related genera such as Libanotis and Seseli sensu stricto; molecular phylogenetic work continues to refine boundaries within Seselieae.
