Lovage
species of plant
Lovage ( LUV-ij; Levisticum officinale) is a perennial plant, the sole species in the genus Levisticum in the family Apiaceae, subfamily Apioideae. It is native to Afghanistan and Iran.
It has been long cultivated in Europe and the leaves are used as a herb, the roots as a vegetable, and the seeds as a spice, especially in southern European cuisine. Its flavour and smell are reminiscent both of celery and parsley, only more intense and spicier than either. The seeds can be used in the same way as fennel seeds.
Description
Lovage is an erect, herbaceous, perennial plant growing to 2.5 metres (8 ft) tall, with a basal rosette of leaves and leaved stems. The stems and leaves are shiny glabrous green to yellow-green and smell somewhat similar to celery when crushed. The leaflets have a few large triangular to rhomboidal teeth. The larger basal leaves are up to 70 centimetres (28 in) long and trifoliate, while the stem leaves are smaller and less divided, with few leaflets.
Produced in umbels at the top of the stems, the flowers are yellow to greenish-yellow, 2–3 mm (1⁄16–1⁄8 in) diameter, produced in globose umbels up to 10–15 cm (4–6 in) diameter; flowering is in late spring.
“Lovage” enters the record as species of plant. Crown Archives preserves that source wording while asking what Lovage, species and plant can confirm, complicate or overturn.
Why this record matters
“Lovage” is worth following because a concise public description often conceals a longer documentary argument. Here, Lovage, species and plant provides the most credible route into that argument.
The date and method of observation matter as much as the stated conclusion, especially where classification or consensus has changed. The source revision retrieved here is dated Jul 25, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q27615. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference.
Current terminology should not be projected backward without checking the classification used when the underlying evidence was created. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Check terminology, classification and the date of the cited evidence. Scientific names and technical consensus can change while older records retain historical value.
- Current terminology
- Classification context
- Finding cited technical literature
Primary datasets, specimen catalogues, standards bodies and the most recent peer-reviewed literature.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Lovage”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Lovage primary sources, Lovage archive and Lovage research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Lovage”?
- Which observation, specimen, dataset or publication supports the account?
- Has classification or technical consensus changed since the cited source?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Lovage” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.