Angelica
Angelica, the name of a genus and species of perennial herbs of the parsley family found in north temperate regions and in New Zealand. The plants have compound leaves, winged fruit, and flat-topped clusters of flowers.
The angelica, also called archangel and wild parsnip, is found in Europe and Asia. It bears greenish flowers. It is cultivated for its leaves, which are cooked as a vegetable, and for its leafstalks and stems, which yield an aromatic oil used in perfumes, confections, medicines, and liqueurs. The great angelica, or alexanders, found in swamps from Newfoundland to Maryland, grows to a height of six feet (1.8 m). It has a dark purple stem and bears small white flowers. The leaves are sometimes used for medicinal purposes.
Angelicas belong to the family Umbelliferae. The angelica is Angelica archangelica; the great angelica, A. atropurpurea.